Terms Of Pallet Settlement Given

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 1

Terms Of Pallet Settlement Given

Normal work resumed at Lyttelton yesterday morning after a partial disruption caused by a dispute over unloading pallets on the Hertford.

The dispute, which began on Monday afternoon, resulted in more than half the ships in port becoming idle by Thursday evening. Agreement was reached on the handling of pallets after discussions in the hold of the Hertford yesterday and was subsequently ratified by the Port Conciliation Committee.

The agreement said that the crate was suitable for the contents; that to load and unload pallets in normal conditions slings would be used; and that any pallets damaged would be discharged or loaded by being placed on cargo trays.

The chairman of the Port Conciliation Committee (Mr R. H. Duff) yesterday said that the Waterside Workers’ Union and the Port Employers' Association would meet on a national level to clarify the pallet issue. In the event of local disagreement between the parties regarding the "condition” of a pallet, he said the matter would be referred to the Port Conciliation Committee. “That is the normal procedure of any disputes on the wharves in terms of the general principle order,” said Mr Duff.

The cargo on pallets from the Hertford was unloaded as agreed yesterday. The walking delegate of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr J. Hughes) said yesterday. “The dispute is finished and over. They came to a mutual agreement very quickly. “The Marine Department man from Wellington has decided that some of these things are in an unsafe state and, also, that some of them were safe.

“He was on the job at the Hertford, quite prepared to make a decision on the spot. The pallets have to be in good order before we sling them by direct slings.” The secretary of the Port Employers’ Association (Mr J. Twomey) said he considered the agreement very satisfactory. The agreement was as offered to the Lyttelton union on the motor ship Karamu last May. “The crates of synthetic rubber are, in the main, in a good condition and were slung direct Any suspect crates were discharged on trays,” said Mr Twomey.