CONFERENCE OF PACIFIC WATERSIDERS

Chronicle (Levin), 14 May 1947, Page 7

CONFERENCE OF PACIFIC WATERSIDERS

v — Press Associatior

By Telegranh

WELLINGTON, May 13. Plans are in train f dr niutual support among waterside 'Workers ' unions throughout the Pacific area. In radio telephonev talks" bfetween Wellington and San Francisco today, Mr H. Barnes. president of the New Zeaiand Waterside Workers' Union, and Mr.' Harry Bridges, president of. the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union, discussed 'details for the forthcoming Pan-Baci|lc/c^p:'erenee unions to be held shortly. Mr. Barues reported tonight that j\Ir. .. Bridges intended to J^ve.,pyery cojpntiy uio^dering the Pacific basm represen't.eL aL the conference. This would include tHe whole of Mr. Bridge's area. from ^M.exico to Alaska as well as Australia^ New Zeaiand, the Soviet Unicfn, China and Indoniesia. In planning the conference he was working through the congres's of industrial orga-' nisations of Aiiierica and; through Mr. Vin'eent Lombardo Tolend'ano, secretary of the Latin A,ih'erican Federation o.f Labour and an h^,ecutive Uiember of the World Federation of Trade Uniohs. Mr. Bridges will communicate further details by letter to Mr. J. Healey, seeretary of the Australian Waterside Workers Federation : and Mr. T. Hill, secretary of the New Zeaiand Waterside Workers Union. "' The venue for the conference will be either San Francisco, Honolulu, Suva or Auckland. Mr. Bridges favours Auckland. In addition the New Zeaiand union has invited the British Dockers' Union to send a delegation of Lo.ndon dockers to New Zeaiand to see for themselve^ the work done on the New Zeaiand wharves. Mr. Barnes and Mr. Hill, representing the New Zeaiand Union, will fiv to Australia. probably next week to confer with Mr. J. Lonergan (president) and Mr. J. Healey (secretary) of the Australian Waterside Workers' Federation.