Waterfront Dispute Still Unsettled

Chronicle (Levin), 23 February 1948, Page 4

Waterfront Dispute Still Unsettled

AUCKLAND, Feb. 22, The second week of the Auckland vartcrfront dispute will begin tomorrow when the centre of . negotiations Will - move from Wellington, to Auckland, rhe "\\raterfront Industry Commission met -last week in Wellington after- the Auckland braneh of the Watcrside Workers, Union deeided to refuse ovcrtime and to observe a live-day 40-hoAir week as a protest against tlie ruling of the Commission. Tomorrow the union will consider a request from the Coyimission to return to normal hoirrs, after which the sub.jeet of the Commission 's ruling could be. reeommitted. A favourable deeisron will be followed by a visit to Auckland of representatives of t.he Commission. , The dispute'began with the adoption ! by the union 011 Febru'ary 2 of a go-slow ! and no overtime poliey on the British. j steamer Cape York which is di.sehargI ing bagged North Afiican pliosphate at j King ;a Wharf . The nven, wkq had j been awarded 2s Gd ari hour dir't jffone'y ' and an extra two men irt eac.h. hold, de-

manded os an hour dirt nroncy and a supply of milk. On Feb.cviary 14 the Coinnrission ordered them to. resifme normal work and stated thgt failur.e would mean pavment aceording to work dorie. Last Monday a stop-work meeting of the union decirled (o, w ork ' a 40hour week on all ships, as a protest until the departereypf the -Cape fVork. Tf the union inaiptd,lns its origriiaLjihtentioh the 40-hour -week will reifrainjfiii force xmtil next week* , Th.e Ca|m?York has still more than"f04QQO phosphate in her liatches. Witliout oyertime .work this will take seven or eight daya to unload amf tlie dispute wjll drag on at loast until Tuesdav of next week. No devclopments have oecurred in tlie Mount Park dispute wh.ieh is not direetly linked with the general waterfront aetion. Seven gangs were dismissedvby the ship's agents", the ITnion Steam 'Company, on Friday for refusing to'lift the hatclies on the ground that they were too lieavy and awkwai'd. As a result onlv one hatch was worked that dav. On Saturday, by the io-overtime deeision, tlie entire waterfront was idle. A req.uisiti'on has' oeen made by the company for labour tomorrow to replaee the 120 dismissed men who will remain 011 penalty uniii Tnesday. A representative stated that all liatches had been put intq prop.er seq.uence.