Wesermunde should be unloaded—F.O.L.

Press, 18 April 1979, Page 1

Wesermunde should be unloaded —F.O.L.

PA Wellington A meeting of fishing industry leaders, unions and the Government at Parliament yesterday failed to resolve a demarcation row preventing the unloading of the giant fish factory ship Wesermunde. But the talks were adjourned after four hours, to 9 am. today, while the commercial fishermen and the Fishing Industry Board consider whether they can go along with a compromise suggested by the Federation of Labour. After the meeting, the secretary of the F.O.L. (Mr W. J. Knox) said the unions agreed with the Government and the employers that every at- . tempt should be made to get the Wesermunde into port and unloaded. “We have decided we will work in with the Government and the employers to try to get

this vessel unloaded,” he said. “After that we will try to get round the table again so a permanent agreement can be worked out.” Mr Knox, said the proposal put by the F.O.L. on behalf of the Watersiders’ Federation and the process workers involved the watersiders’ unloading packed fish. It applied only to the Wesermunde and would be without prejudice to any talks in the future. However, he said, the unions and the employers had come close to agreement. Asked why the delay was necessary, the Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger) who was chairman at yesterday’s meeting, said industry representatives saw very important issues involved and wanted to discuss the matter further.

The Wesermunde had to return to sea from Bluff last month because watersiders blacked unloading. But she is now fully loaded and the West German partners in the consortium have threatened to withdraw from the present venture if the vessel cannot return soon.

At a press conference after the morning session of the Cabinet, the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said the - Government would pass legislation making it clear the watersiders could not be involved in unloading if yesterday’s meeting failed to resolve the dispute. But Mr Knox this evening dismissed Mr Muldoon’s comments. “I think the Prime Minister in his usual way is making statements in the hope that he does not have to do it,” Mr Knox said.

The issue of legislation was not raised at yesterday’s meeting as a positive statement by either Mr Bolger or the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (Mr Maclntyre), said Mr Knox.

However, signs of perhaps an even bigger battle in the future were revealed before yesterday’s meeting began at 2 p.m. It is believed the Fishing Industry Board and commercial fishermen were unhappy about the attendance of the Seamen’s Union, which has announced that it wants its members to crew the joint-venture vessels.

Mr Knox said the F.O.L had insisted that the Seamen’s Union representatives be at the meeting. Mr Bolger said that the Seamen’s Union representatives had attended as observers.