DISPUTE STILL UNSETTLED

Taranaki Daily News, 4 May 1933, Page 7

DISPUTE STILL UNSETTLED

SEAMEN’S UNION SILENT SHIPS HELD UP AT WELLINGTON. TWO CREWS. GIVEN DAY’S NOTICE. LITTLE TROUBLE ELSEWHERE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. No settlement has been reached in the dispute between the shipowners and the Seamen’s Union, with the consequence that a grave hold-up of shipping has occurred, and is intensified by the addition of several other vessels to those detained on Tuesday.- The only ships to leave port to-day were the ferry steamer Rangatira, which sailed at the usual time for Lyttelton, and the small cargo steamer. Tees, which left at a late hour for Dunedin.

Members of the Seamen’s Union met at 8 o’clock this morning and held several lengthy sessions during the day. What transpired is not known, the union officials declining to make any statement. ’ Apparently it was decided to continue to hold up the vessels. It is understood that the crews of the Monowai and the Maunganui were given 24 hours notice of the termination of their engagement at 5 o’clock this evening. The trouble has extended to the Picton steamer Tamahine. Other vessels held up to-night were the cargo vessels Waimarino, Awahou, Gale; and. Port Whangarei. Ships due to arrive to-morrow are the ferry steamer Maori, and the cargo steamers Wainui from Melbourne, via southern ports, Kapiti, Holmdale and Calm from Lyttelton, Kaimai from Greymouth, Inaha from Patea, Canopus from Westport, Poolta from Gisborne and Gale from Hokitika. HISTORY OF NEGOTIATIONS. Prior to August of last year seamen in New Zealand were working under an agreement which was not registered in the Arbitration Court, and consequently -the men were not subject to the general order of the court making a 10 per .cent, cut in award rates. When the seamen’s agreement expired negotiations were carried out for a new agreement. The shipowners’ claims were, in the first place, for a 20 per cent, reduction. This was later reduced to 15 per cent. They also desired several amendments in the conditions of work* .

In November an agreement was reached in which the seamen accepted a 10 per cent, reduction, but retained the. old . conditions; The questions of a further 5 per cent, cut and new conditions’ of employment were the subjects of a ballot throughout New Zealand, but the result was not favourable, of acceptance. After the result was known a further conference was held between the ship- ’ owners and the union without finality , being reached. At the conclusidn of this , conference on April 24 it was agreed that the new conditions offered in October ' should be put into effect for a month and that a small committee of two from each side should be set up to explore the possibilities of an amicable settlement of the matters remaining in dispute and report back to the full conference at the end of the month. At all ports except Wellington stopwork meetings of seamen held yesterday accepted these arrangements, but at Wellington it was rejected. It is under- ' stood that shipowners are not willing to depart from: the arrangements, and the seamen’s meeting iffstill, considering whether the arrangements should be endorsed or not. SHIP AFFECTED AT DUNEDIN. NEW CONDITIONS OBJECTED TO. Dunedin, Last Night Though it was reported from various sources this'afternoon that there seemed no likelihood of trouble at Dunedin it was found later that the Union Company’s coastal steamer Waipiata, which was scheduled to sail this evening, could riot be 'cleared as. the .men’refused to sign on under the new articles. The ship’s . articles had expired and new ones , were prepared under the conditions outlined in the message received from Wellington, arid the seamen were unwilling to accept the terms. offered,. the stumbling block apparntly being certain- alterations to the clauses bearing on conditions. No alteration in wages or rates of overtime was proposed. in the new articles. No other ship at Dunedin is affected by the situation. The Union- Company’s Opihi and the motor vessel Holmglen will sail probably at their appointed times to-night. ' NO TROUBLE AT LYTTELTON. VESSELS SAIL NORMALLY. Christchurch, Last Night. Although there were more coastal and intercolonial vessels than usual at Lyttelton’ to-day no trouble occurred, and vessels scheduled to sail did so without incident. Rumour was current during the’ afternoon that the ferry steamer Maori might be held up, but this proved untrue, as the Maori sailed at the usual time. Inquiry at New Plymouth shipping offices yesterday showed that no effects of the shipping trouble had yet spread to New Plymouth. No vessels were due from Wellington at New Plymouth during, the next few days. Advice had been received from Dunedin that two coastal vessels due at New Plymouth next week were expected to be sailing last night for Timaru- as scheduled.