WATERSIDE WORKERS AT AUCKLAND

Southland Times, Issue 25513, 6 November 1944, Page 4

WATERSIDE WORKERS AT AUCKLAND

Refusal To Work During

Meal Hours

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, November 5. • The decision of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union not to work during meal hours unless the ship on which they are engaged is due to sail almost immediately after the hour is causing concern to shipping companies which claim that there have been some substantial delays on the Auckland waterfront.

The controller, Mr W. J. Cuthbert, admitted that the position was not satisfactory, but stated that it was hoped to arrive at a suitable solution and that the chairman of the Waterfront Commission, Captain R. E. Price, would be visiting Auckland shortly. The order of the Waterfront Commission, which is the award under which the watersiders work, states that the men shall work during meal hours if required to do so and shall be paid at the rate of double ordinary time for a full hour or for a full half hour if the job is finished in less than 30 minutes. When the meal hour or part of it is worked the men shall be allotted 60 minutes for a meal from the time they cease work. The Auckland refusal to work during a meal hour, unless a ship is due to sail shortly afterwards, follows similar action at Lyttelton and Wellington.