WATERSIDE WORK RESUMED

Southland Times, Issue 23773, 22 March 1939, Page 5

WATERSIDE WORK RESUMED

Decision Of Men At Meeting ADDRESSES GIVEN BY •MINISTERS CONSTITUTIONAL METHODS DEMANDED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 21. Normal working was resumed on the Wellington waterfront shortly after 1 p.m. in consequence of a decision, which was almost unanimous, reached at this morning’s special stop-work meeting. The following official statement was made after the meeting by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) and the Minister of Marine (the Hon. P. Fraser), “At a crowded meeting of waterside workers held in the Tivoli Theatre this morning, the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Marine addressed the men and gave an outline of the Government’s policy concerning any form of interference with work on the waterfront that would prove detrimental to the loading and discharging of cargoes. They emphasized'that the Government had supported and encouraged all forms of genuine unionism and assisted the workers generally to obtain the highest standard of living that industries could pay. The Government, through the Labour Department, assisted in the enforcement of those agreements, but insisted that once an agreement was come to any dispute or disagreement arising out of the agreement should be referred through constitutional channels, to be there dealt with by disputes committees, local and national. The case for the workers should be handled by their accredited representatives and irregular action should not be tolerated. “They pbinted out that the very industrial life of the community and the maintenance of a high standard of. living was dependent upon efficient work, not only bn the waterfront, but throughout New Zealand, and appealed to the men to appreciate that point of view. They pointed out that the Government would not protect men who would not do a reasonable day's work for the money received and they were most emphatic that if the men declined to work they could not expect, and would not get, the Government’s backing. It was agreed by the workers themselves that a small minority of their members was not playing the game. The Ministers appealed to those members to play the game and do a fair day’s work. Failing that, they could not expect to enjoy the privileges of a closed union and equalization of hours. “The Ministers also pointed out plainly the steps the Government would be compelled to take if the nation’s economic life continued to be threatened by ‘go-slow’ or other detrimental tactics. GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY “The Ministers made it quite clear that there could be only one Government, that the Government was fully conscious of its responsibility to the people of this country, and would not hesitate to use its full powers in the protection of the interests of the country, including those of genuine trade unionism, which should and would co-operate with the Government in its work of social advancement.

“Both Ministers were gratified with the excellent spirit displayed by the great majority of the men and they left the meeting confident that more efficient work and closer co-operation would prevail. They stated that they expected the same co-operation from the ship owners. The Government was anxious to facilitate the economic loading and discharging of vessels and asked the men for their fullest co-operation in the discharge of that work. “The resolution to resume normal working was carried almost unanimously. It was clear that the predominant feeling was anxiety to cooperate with the Government in the efficient working of the port and the despatch of commodities for the overseas market.” In a statement made after the resumption of work, Mr J. Roberts, secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, who, with Mr J. Flood, president, addressed the meeting in the Tivoli Theatre, said that the reason for the waterfront dispute was stated by the men to be that the emrefused to negotiate with the national union. A resolution was carried that the men resume work under normal conditions and that the national union should immediately begin negotiations with the employers for a new national agreement, the present award having expired last July. Commenting on Mr Roberts’s statement about the cause of the hold-up, Mr W. H. G. Bennett, secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Employers’ Association, said that on June 30 last the association sent the Watersiders’ Union proposals for a new agreement and gave the union a fortnight to reply. The association received a reply on July 29, but as it was long overdue the association had by that time filed an application for the dispute to be heard by the Dominion Conciliation Council. Because of various delays, for which the employers were not responsible, the council did not sit until October 18 at Auckland, afterwards sitting at Napier, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and completing at Wellington on December 8. The council arrived at a partial agreement only and recommendations to that effect to be sent to the Clerk of Awards were drafted and agreed to by the representatives of both sides and sent to the commissioner on December 13. HEARING OF DISPUTE Mr Bennett said that he received the official copy back on December 24 for the signatures of the employers’ assessors. These were duly affixed and the document was handed to the union on January 16. The document was finally received back from the commissioner on February 1, lacking the signature of a union assessor. This was only obtained on February 22. The papers were duly filed the same day, 47 days after being handed to the union. The Court would not be able to hear the dispute in Wellington at this sitting.

Both the Gear Meat Company and the Wellington Meat Export Company stated today that the waterfront delay had not affected the operations of their works. The loading-out of carcasses is to be resumed tonight.

It was stated on behalf of the Waterside Labour Bureau that after the manning of the Piako, Rangitata, Doric Star, Karu and Foxton, the five ships principally concerned in the dismissals of the past few days, 400 union men would be left. Requisitions had been received for 1100 men, leaving a short-

age of 700. There appeared, however, to be an ample supply of non-union labour. It is understood all the men are being started afresh.

IMPROVED STANDARD OF WORK SOUGHT FARMERS PLEDGE SUPPORT TO EXECUTIVE (United Press Association) DANNEVIRKE, March 21. A meeting of the Takapau branch of the Farmers’ Union pledged its support to the Dominion Executive in any action it may deem necessary to improve the standard of work on the waterfront. BANANAS RAILED TO WELLINGTON MATUA’S CALL CANCELLED (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 21. A special goods train left Auckland at 6 o’clock tonight with a consignment of bananas, being part of the cargo brought from the Pacific islands by the Matua. The uncertainty of discharge at Wellington because, of the waterfront dispute, prompted the cancellation of her call there. Under the direction of the Internal Marketing Division cases of bananas were removed by lorry to the station. It is expected some of the fruit will be transhipped to the South Island. KILLING OF MEAT CURTAILED INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF SHIPS AVAILABLE (United Press Association) AUCKLAND. March 21. Because an insufficient number of ships is available in New Zealand to carry cargoes away, the killing of meat for export at many North Island works has been greatly curtailed. The storage space at most of these works is practically filled up and until the congestion is relieved by the loading out of stocks the companies are forced to ration their killing services among farmers and stock buyers. The Westfield Freezing Company has been obliged to pay off the men engaged on one of its mutton-killing rings, involving, together with the employees in other departments whose activities have been curtailed, between 100 and 130 workers