NATIONAL SHIPPING HOLD-UP AVERTED

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 May 1947, Page 6

NATIONAL SHIPPING HOLD-UP AVERTED

The national shipping hold-up threatened by the mass resignation of ships’ masters and officers has been averted meantime. The resignations were to have taken effect on Thursday next, May 8. The Merchant Service Guild, at a meeting in Wellington on Saturday, decided to withhold the resignations in view of the fact that negotiations for settlement of the dispute over their new awards are now in train. The resignations, however, are still not withdrawn. The four organisations of maritime workers, in conference with the employers, have reached agreement with them on the cancellation of the warrisk bonus and war-risk gratuity paid to seafaring men. The agreement will be referred to the workers in each organisation, and is to be sent to the Government as a recommendation. It will require to be ratified by the Court of Arbitration before it can be put into effect. As this agreement has yet to be confirmed no official report is made. It is understood, however, that it involves the cancellation of the £l2 a month war bonus and gratuity, and the substitution of a seagoing bonus of £6 a month, together with an increase in award rates of about £4 a month, The increased payment under awards would be worth more tha< £4 a month to most sections of the workers, who are engaged on overtime work, and would accordingly receive a higher total of overtime. The greater part of the war-risk bonus and gratuity paid during most of the war years and for 16 months after, has been met by the Government, and the remainder by the employers. There is yet no report ot the extent to which the Government will be asked to meet the cost under the new agreement.