WATERSIDERS STOP WORK

Southland Times, Issue 22993, 12 September 1936, Page 8

WATERSIDERS STOP WORK

DISPUTE AT AUCKLAND. (United Press Association.) Auckland, September 11. For the third time within a week, cargo operations on the Auckland waterfront were held up to-day owing to the action of the waterside workers. They refused to unload cargo from the British motorship Ashburton this morning although work was begun on the vessel yesterday afternoon and, as an indirect result the cargo on the Shaw, Savill and Albion liner Tamaroa could not be unloaded. Another sequel was the temporary delay in work on the Federal line steamer Surrey. The week of sporadic stoppages in waterside work commenced last Friday when the men refused to work after 5 p.m. This affected the Matson line steamer Monterey, the Port line steamer Port Hunter, the Port line motorship Port Hobart and the Union Company’s steamer Waipiata. On Thursday night and to-night the waterside workers refused to work overtime on the Union Company’s chartered steamer Narbada. Officials of the Waterside Workers’ Union refuse to comment on the matter or furnish any reason for the men’s actions. . , , The Ashburton arrived from New York on Wednesday afternoon, discharging operations beginning on Thursday morning and continuing until 10 p.m. Owing to a shortage of union labour a number of non-union men had to be employed. In accordance with the award non-union men had to be replaced with union members this morning if possible. Waterside workers had taken off the hatches preparatory to unloading more cargo this morning when it was learned that a member of the union had been refused engagement. The men then left the vessel, stating that they would not continue to work in view of the employers’ action. The men working on the Surrey were informed of the dispute and stopped work but when they learned the nature of the trouble they resumed cargo operations. Particulars of the dispute were communicated to Wellington and the Shipowners’ Federation issued instructions that no more waterside labour was to be engaged at Auckland until work on the Ashburton had been continued. The men who went ashore from the Ashburton refused a request to begin work again, but altered their decision later and resumed at 1.30 p.m. As a result of this dispute several gangs of men who would have been engaged to unload the Tamaroa, which arrived from London at noon, were not called upon. Calls for labour on the waterfront are made only between 8 a.m. and 10.30 a.m.