WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN UNION AND FEDERATION

Chronicle (Levin), 9 January 1947, Page 5

WAR OF WORDS BETWEEN UNION AND FEDERATION

Press Association

openly disputing certain issues

By Telegraph — .

WELLINGTON, Jan. 8. The water iront dispute is about to euter its sixth week without prospect of a settlement. Officials of the Federation of Labour and of the union are openly disputing certain issues involved. M cnilicrs of the ('abinot gnve fnrther .•niisidCriilioii lo the siluutioii today. Tlic .Minister of Finance (Hon. \V. Xash who is ueling for the Prinie Minjsicr Juring the latter'a alisenee in the M.nt h, received a deputalion from the New Zealand Waterside Einploycrs' Assoriat ion. The national exeeutive of the Water- > i 1 1 •* Workeis' l.Tiion early in the wateri'roiit disjiute had oll'ered to resttnie nor mai work and negotiate for ari early sct t lenient . said Mr. K. A. Napier, seereiary of the Wellington liraneh oi the iiniori ainl n nieinber of the national esi'cnt i\ e, in n statenient tonight, in reiiirn for an nndert aking to resiune normal hours, said Mr. Napier. The union snught a written gunnuitoe from ihe exeeutive of the Federntion of* Labour that if salisfaction of the union 's elaim.s was not aehieved by January 14 when the union 's nuiionul council was scheduled to nieet the Federntion wonld support the union ra whatever action it iniglit lake to luing about a settlement. The executives of ihe union and Federntion rnet on the evoning of Deccinber 2.'! when an agreemeut along li'c-e lines was reaehed. •'It is signilicant, ' ' said Mr. Napier, "timi at this meeting the president of the Federntion of Labour (Mr. A. W. t .•■■skervi expressed appreciai ion of the rea -unable attitude of the walersiders. We ieft Ihe meeting with the understanding that the agreeinent reaehed v.iiuld be drawn up in writing and handed to the secretarv of the union iMr. T. 1 1 i II) and inyself to sign next mu! ning. ' ' Mr. Napier said that next afternoon, however, Mr. Hill received a Jetter from the secretarv of the Federntion (Mr. Baxter j- statnlg. that no gdarantees c.ould be given and roeonunending the

j: tyatersiders- t,| resuiniF.nf jSiiail work twi'tt Thin.i ihe muller dvVr ib'f [i'e Uederation; V ■>•. ering le'fte.r from Mr. Baxter stn'ed ihat the exeeutive of the Federatitnj Wiiuld be ploased to reeeive a re]«i d'Vbdng the union \s atlitude bet'ore ii>..[i i.i, Dcember 27 because the exeeutive iniended to release.the letter to Mr. liili explaining the Federntion 's \iews for publicat ion on th.it day. On P'.T.a.ber 2 S, since no guarantee of sup-p-'it wonld Ire giveu by the Federntion, ' iu* negot uitions liail broken down, Mr. Napier concluded. This sttilement from Mr. Xa])ier was referred toniglit to the secretarv of the I i-dcration of Labour (Mr. Baxter) xvlio >aid lie liail no eomment to make other Than to ret'er Mr. Napier to the stateriiciit of December 24 which was pre-M-nted to the secretarv of the Waterside Workers' rnion. This stTitement pointed out that no guarantees couid be giveu io anv union that its claiins w. irld be satisfied bet'ore negotialions t".,k jiiace.