THE SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16750, 17 March 1926, Page 6

THE SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

The owners of the coastal shipping lines in Australia have refused the request of the Federated Seamen's Union for a conference, declaring that they have no faith in either Ihc Union or its officers. They point out that agreements previously entered into have have been wantonly broken, the officials cf the union evidently regarding the obligations imposed upon them as of fleeting' duration, to be lightly thrown aside when the lime seems opportune or when they imagine they can secure some advantage by so doing. The present dispute is a case in point. The matter at issue—that of the crew of a steamer being fintitled to wharf labourers' rates of pay when on the coastal trips they have to perform wharf labourers' work in places where wharf labourers arc not available —had been fought out before, and after a period of idleness an agreement was readied, the term for which'it was entered into not having yet expired. The union, however, imagined the time opportune to reopen the matter, and broke their pact with the owners. Unfortunately for the Union's plans there was ample volunteer labour offering, and as the crews left the steamers volunteers took their places, the services being', without difficulty, maintained at normal. Realising now that they have made a mistake and suffered themselves to be deluded by the unwise counsel of irrational leaders, the men are anxious to effect another settlement, and towards that end besought a conference. The owners, however, having their vessels fully manned, and knowing by experience that an agreement bearing the seal of the Federated Seamen's Union is not worth the paper upon which it is inscribed, have refused to meet the men, who must now be content 10 stand by and sec others perform the duties they so lightly cast aside. It is certainly somewhat remarkable that after the experience of the hold-up of British shipping in Australian ports, Australian seamen should consent to follow the counsel of the same leaders. That they now And themselves in a sitr.il >x predicament to their English co-.nrades is not strange. They have been disillusioned, but that they should expect the despised owners to treat their delinquencies lightly and to consent lo displace others in order lo reinstate them indicates that they give them credit for possessing vast stores of patience, compared with which the slock of that virtue held by the Patriarch Job would rank as that of a bankrupt.