WATERSIDERS TO COMMENCE NORMAL HOURS

Chronicle (Levin), 18 January 1947, Page 8

WATERSIDERS TO COMMENCE NORMAL HOURS

SEQDEL TO CONFERENtES WITH M1NISTERS WELLINGTON, Jan. 17. The Minister of Labour was notilied over the telephone tonight by the national secretary that the national council of the Waterside Workers' Union has ordered all branGhes to resunle normal work as from Monday next. The secretary of the New Zealand Federation of Labour (Mr. K. McL. Baxter) stated tonight that the extraordinary national conference of delegates to the Federation called for Tuesday next will still be held despite the announcement that the watersiders will resume normal working hours. The announcenieut followed a series of conferences with Monsters. The national council of the Waterside Workers' Unioii met Ihe Prime Minister and members of Cabinet 011 Thursday i'orelioon at Parliament Buildings. There were subsequent diseussions between the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Labour and representatives of the eoimcil both yesterday and today. At the coiidusioii of these diseussions the Prmie Minister addressed the following letter to Mr. T. Hill, national secretary of the union : — ' " Dear Mr. Hill: As nientioned in niy letter of Decemher 20, 011 normal hours of work being resumed the following matters ean be raised : " (1) Any anomalies in regard to annual holidays and statutory holidays. 1 repeat the statement in my letter of Decemher 20: 'The Dovermnent is of opinion in conncction with holiday pay that the waterside worker sliould be in a. position not less favourable than other workers, and also that reasoned discussioii will produce praetieal results to ensure this end.' " (2) Saturday morning call : If it is praetieahle to make suitahle arrangements in substitition of the Saturday morning call under modern conditions, ineluding radio notifieation of the arrival of sliips, l have 110 doubt that an a greemont satisfaetory to all . pai'ties ean be arranged. "(3) (hiaranteed wage elaim : The ehairman of the Water-

i'ront lndnstry Commission has advised the (rovornmont that ho will arrango for consideration of Ihe efi'oct of his prououncement 011 the guaranteed wage,. ineluding represeiitations of the union, for ils reconsiderat io.n and Ihe. ehairman has also notified the (iovernment that 110 ordcr will be made before this reeonsitloration has takou plaee. This reconsiderat ion will. take place as soon as is praetieahle ai'ter the resumjition of normal work. " (4) Increased wages elaim: Reference has been made to the elaim of Ihe union for an increase '111 wages. As stated previously 1 his is a suhject for consideration by the Commission. "(5) Aecommodal ion and amenities: The (Iovernment has alwavs stood for and will do evervthing praetieahle to facilitate Ihe provision. oi' good and adequale aeeommodation and amenities for workers 011 the waterfront. Progress in this regard is inevitI ahly eonditioned by Ihe ox'isi ing position in regard to materials and labour in the building industry, ]iartieularly in resjiect to urgent housing needs. "((>) Conditions of labour: The Clovernmont stands 011 the. | oue hand I'or a steady improvement as economic eireumstaiices pcr- ! mit in the conditions of all wage-earners and of the people gener1 ally. but it also stands I'or every citizen assuming his i'ulk obPga- | tion and respo.nsibility in regard to giviug honest and officient j service in whatever position he occupies in the eommimitv. We 1 are snre all agree that reasonable effieieney in waterfront work i l'rom emplovees and em])ioyers alike is as necessarv as 111 all other oecuiiations and that the conditions of workers. ea 11 onlv be mainJ tained and improved if there is that degree of effieieney. "I11 statements made yesterday by members of the AVaterside J Workers' Union Council it was claimed that there is ample provi ; sion in the existing orders of the Commission for the transfer of : workers IT0111 oue jol) to another in the interests of the effieient j working of shi])ping at our ports. This effieieney the. ■Oovernment ; eonsiders is essential for the continuecl prosjiei'ity of the country, j ineluding the welfare of the workers coneerned. 1 "On the rcsumption of normal hours of work the order snsI pending the ]iowers and authoi-ities of the Waterfront. Industry I Commission will be rescinded. "Yours faithfully, P. Fraser." The deeision of the watersiders to resume normal work was i the reply to the Prime Ministe.r's letter.