WATERSIDE WORK IN AUCKLAND

Southland Times, Issue 23208, 25 May 1937, Page 8

WATERSIDE WORK IN AUCKLAND

ESTABLISHMENT OF BUREAU SYSTEM GUARANTEE OF WEEKLY WAGES (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 24. Arrangements are well in hand for the establishment of the bureau system in waterside work in Auckland. A Control Board has been established consisting of three representatives of the employers and three representatives of the union and details are now being worked out as to how the new system of decasualizing wharf labour can be applied. “Under the scheme which was agreed to last February between the union and the employers a Certain number of men will receive £2 10/- a week as a minimum, whether they work ■ or not,” said the manager of a shipping office. “Roughly I think there are 1300 members of the Waterside Workers’ Union and the scheme will embrace more than half of them. What the committee that has been appointed has to consider in the meantime is the class of man to be employed and the work he can do best. Age will be taken into account and other matters that are necessary to consider when placing a man on the list. There will be central control under a manager appointed by the employers. The men who are selected must be reliable workers and they will have to report for duty every morning. In other words they will have to be always on tap. Under the present system a man can absent himself at any time It would be impossible to commence the scheme and guarantee a large number of men a minimum of £2 10/- a week if they were not available when required.” “All shipping companies are included in the scheme, including those trading on the coast” said another shipping manager. “The system, which will be in operation three or four weeks hence, is a great advance on the present methods. It is a genuine attempt to make conditions better for the men. Naturally we are all in the dark as to how it will work out. What we do know is that it will cost the shipping companies a large sum of money. The men will not be engaged as they are today. Those who are guaranteed £2 10/- a week will be allocated to ships. The idea is a sound one and, if the right men are selected and the right spirit prevails, there is no reason why the scheme should not be a thorough success. The scheme was put up to the men by the companies and was agreed to by an overwhelming majority. It is a difficult system to organize, but good progress has been made so far. Another informant said that the bureau system had been tried with waterside workers both at Lyttelton and Wellington where men had been appointed to ships but, unlike the Auckland scheme, there was no guarantee of weekly wages.