SEAMEN'S DEMANDS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16030, 22 January 1920, Page 3

SEAMEN'S DEMANDS.

CONFERENCE TO BE HELD SHORTLY.

The claims for a new agreement made by the Federated Seamen’s Union of New Zealand are of a very comprehensive nature. In addition to a demand for increased wages, the Union is asking for consideration of the whole of the conditions with a view to considerable improvement, as far as the men are concerned. The following table shows the rate of wages per lunar month now ruling and the rates the Union desire to see adopted:—

JHie demand for overtime is also considerably in excess of the present rates. One clause reads: “Where a seaman is employed at work inside boilers during his hours of labour he shall be paid 2s per hour extra money, and if employed outside his labour hours 2s 6d per hour overtime.” In the existing agreement there is no provision for such work. There are several other provisions relating to the payment of overtime. The hours of labour at sea should, it is proposed, be fixed at eight, but many new provisions are stipulated. The present agreement states that the hours are to be worked as may be required by the employers, but it is not so in the new demands. It is desired that there should in future be no broken watches. One clause in the demands reads: “When at sea no unnecessary work, such as scouring, polishing bright work, painting, or washing paint, shall be performed in the engineroom or stokehold.”

Another important provision proposes to reduce the hours worked in port to six, to be worked between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. It is added: “If any man is called npon to work outside his hours of labour in port he shall he employed or paid for at least three hours.”

At the present time seamen provide their own bedding, etc., but a new proposal reads: “Seamen shall be provided with all eating utensils, bedding, blankets and sheeting, free of cost; sheeting to be changed at least once in each week or when the seamen leaves the ship and another is engaged in his place, whichever first occurs. The eating utensils to he of a material other than tin or enamelware, and all such utensils shall be the property of the employer. . . ” The accommodation clauses are of a drastic nature.

It is also desired that “when it is required to bo worn the ship shall provide seamen with uniforms, cap, and trimmings, free of all cost to the seamen.” This particular clause now reads: “The deck hands shall provide themselves with the uniform of the employer, and wear it as and when required, but the employer shall supply the necessary badges and trimmings.” Provision is asked for stop-work meetings of members of the Union one in each fortnight should such be deemed necessary by the local Union.-

A conference between the shipowners and the Union will be held at an early date. J

Now ruling. Demanded. .£ s. d. £ s. d. Boatswain ■13 10 0 16 0 0 Quartermaster 12 10 0 15 0 0 Lamp trimmer 13 10 0 15 0 0 Lamp trimmers and A.B 13 10 0 16 0 0 Able seamen 12 10 0 15 0 0 Ordinary seamen (18 and over) ...... 9 0 0 11 0 0 Ordinary seamen (under 18) ..i 7 5 0 9 15 0 Donkeymen 15 10 0 18 0 0 Firemen 14 10 0 17 0 0 Greasers 14 10 0 17 0 0 Trimmers 12 10 0 15 0 0 Storekeeper-greaser 14 10 0 17 0 0 Storekeeper 14 10 0 17 0 0 Fireman-greaser ... — 18 10 0 Crews’ attendant ... — 15 0 0