WORK STOPPED.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVI, Issue 14912, 3 December 1912, Page 5

WORK STOPPED.

ON TIMARU WHABI?, OLD TROUBLE REVIVED. THE MEN CALLED OFF. In accordance with their recent decision to strike on any boat at which either of the railway men, Messrs Scott and Campell, were sent to work, the Timaru Hatorsiders ceased worn yesterday morning, ai b..i.0 a.m. aiicr having worked lit'toon minutes. The Union Company's boats the Corinna, which arrived at 8 a.m., and Kittawa, which had been in port sinco l'mUiy last, were the chic I; cargo vessels at work. The latter boat had discharged the bulk of her Timaru cargo and would have left Timaru en route ior Lytteiton at o p.m. had the cargo been completely handled. At eight o'clock four gangs of the local waterside workers commenced to work and as soon as Mr Scott came over to No. 3 wharf, the lour gangs ceased work as a protest. The consequence-, was that the Kittawa left Timaru at- 12.30' p.m. with the intention of unloading the balance of her Timaru cargo at Lytteiton. Tho Waterside Workers' Union however, telegraphed to tho Lytteiton Union asking them not to handle any Timaru cargo, and they arc confident it wiil not hv naiidl--d 11-'cri.'. Tho s.s. Corinna was to have loaded 200 tons of general cargo and to have left here at 5 o'clock yesterday. The

consignors' trucks were left Vi.'-.ndhig on No. 13 wharf and this vessel foil.owed the Kittawa for Lytteiton, as the men would nob work her unless Mr Scott was called off.

Mr Campbell did not come into yesterday's strike as he is at present away ill.

Speaking to the captains of both vessels a "Herald" reporter was told that the Timaru cargo not unloaded here would bo discharged at Lyttelton, being as much Lyttclton cargo as it is Timaru cargo. STATEMENT BY MB. GOULD.

.Mr R. Gould, Secretary of tho local ' Waterside Union, stated to a "Herald" ' reported yesterday afternoon that he \ had wired the Lyttclton Waterside Union, and no Timaru cargo whatever ' won Id bo handled there, lie. went on ' to say that Messrs Scott and Campbell had got more benefits through tho action of tho Waterside Workers' Union in getting improved conditions than any other waterside workers iii Timani. He considered that the Union had benefitted them to tho extent of £6O per year each, and yet they refused to pay a paltry sum of 3-] d pet week to become members of tho Waterside Union. All waterside men, ho said, even tho casual hands, were members of the Union.-, Yhe v.hole trouble was that tho Union wanted the Shipping Companies and other firms to observe the preference clause of their agreement. He had advised all tho Companies to this effect, and tho action of the workers yesterday- was not a strike, but simply a protest to show that they wanted tlip terms of the clause mentioned, .observed. Tho clause reads as follows: — "Tho employers agree that, -in the employment; of labour,' within the scope of this agreement, they will, ' at tho respective ports, givo preference to members of tho Unions included in this agreement, and in consideration thereof tho Unions included in this agreement, and in concurrency of this agreement, membership of the Unions, or any 'of thom, shall be open to any man, without ballot or other election, and that no- fee sufficiently prohibitive to debar any .worker from joining the Union and tending -to create the Union a close corporation, shnll be charged during the currency of this ' agreement.'' By employing Messrs Scott and Campbell, who were formerly members oftho Waterside Union, but who were no longer members of it, the employers, j Mr Gould contended, were breaking ! the_ preference to Unionists clause in j their agreement. jj

STATEMENT BY MR SCOTT. Mr Scott, seen on the subject, said that he had joined the "Waterside Workers' Union three months ago under a misapprehension, and he had no intention of rejoining it. He had been a member of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants for the past eight years, and he did not see why he should be a member of two unions. He was employed by the Railway Department, and had always carried out the instructions given by it. There was absolutely no need for him to have anything to do with the Waterside Union. With regard to Mr Gould's statement that he received benefits amounting to £GO a i year by being a member of the union, | Mr Scott said he was unaware of this. In the first place, the railway men concerned had signed a petition and handed it to the Department, asking that they be placed onthe same footing with regard to wages as the waterside workers. The request was acceded to, and that was before the railway men joined the "Waterside Union. So it would he seen that it was not by becoming members of the Waterside Union or Federation that the railway men secured the increased rates. v The Department saw that they i wero getting lower wages than the waterside workers, and immediately the reoucflt was mad.' increa- 'd their* wajjo-s — from the Ist February last. It was not till after this that j;ho railway men joined the wate'rsiders. It was not through the Federation that ho (Mr Scott), got increased wages. The railway employees had nothing,to do with the "Waterside Union and they were not bound by any of those Union's! agreements. SHIPI'IXG DISLOCATED. Tbo s.s. Kaiapoi, which was to havo tel't "Wellington yesterday with 1000 tons of coal consigned to the Westport Coal Company at Timaru, has been ordered to discharge at Wellington. A well known shipping manager advised a "Herald" representative yesterday thatjf the strike continues, vessels due. to Timaru will bo ordered on to other ports to load or discharge cargoes. The barque Pcstalozzi finished'unloading last evening. Ono gang of men worked at this boat- yesterday bin use neither of the railway men, Messrs Sf ott or Campbell, were in charge of the wharf at which she worked., WHY DID THEY STRIKE?

From information obtained it appears doubtful whether Mr Mills, chairman of the "Waterside Union, ca'iedthe men out with the pcrmissnn, knowloago, or consent of the headquarters of the Federation.. Mr Gould telegraphed notifying the Federation of tho action taken and it is :noba.ble that h:> will give- an explanation of the wholo trouble to the Federation.

A CANDID OPINION. A prominent merchant and r.gent, in tho course of conversation with a "Herald" reporter stated that the attitude of tho waterside workers was absolutely ridiculous. He was intimate with tho men, Sectt and '.'ampbell, and was also aware of their duties. Ho was quite satisfied that uiore was not a member of the local waterside union capable of doing his work or of assuming his responsibilities in handling and Working tho boats. Loth these men could be relied upon, and the Railway Department was t.il-ing up a good stand in supporting these men, who considerably assisted shippers 'and other firms, as they had a good grasp of their work. If the waterside workers were going -to contiuuo these strikes they could :'.-.'t expect much sympathy from the business firms or the public. A FURTHER OPINION. Tho'representative of a shipping firm, spoken to on the subject, said the position* had resolved itself into this: Whether, the Massey Government was going to allow the Federation of Labour to dictate to the Railway Department as to whom they should emviloy, or whether the Railway Department was going to conduct its business in its own way. His own opinion was that the Massey Government, was not going to ' allow the Federation to run the Railway Department. The Government had taken a firm stand over the Waihi busines, and they would do so over this business in Timaru, he thought. It was not a fact that the men Scott and Campbell had benefited as a result of tho action of the Federation; they had received their increase in wages before they, joined the Waterside Workers'

Union. As to the alleged necessity for preference to unionists being observed by the Railway Department, no such necessity existed, as the Railway Department was not a party to that agreement ; there was no mention c£. railway men in the agreement. In other ports railway men wero not being forced into the \Vaterside Union, and why these frequent attempts should be made' in Timaru he did not know. The port was getting a bad name; ships were being ordered past Timaru, and the result would be dearer goods for the community.