WATERSIDERS PENALISED

Chronicle (Levin), 2 March 1948, Page 6

WATERSIDERS PENALISED

Press AssociationJ

Commission's • Action Ip fflountpark Dispute '

(Per

AUCKLAND, Alarch 1. Tlie WaterfxQixt Industry Commissiop tMs morning took the initiative in the Aiieklanji waterfront dispute- by declaring.the wheat" vessel, Mottntpark a pref er^iiee ship. After certain prioricy ships have been manned, labour must be supplied for the Mpuntpark ""before meu will be eugaged 'on any new ships an port. . The steamef, which has* bagged wjiear fronx South Australiu hjj,s iiot been working fully since February 20(. and has been eohipletely ^idle since vVednesday following a refusaf of watel-side workers to shift the hatches. '.Lhe Union is dema'nding payment for time lost by the' nien under suspension md asking for certain altdrations to the hatches to coinply with Government regulations. The 124 men who were previously suspended from the Mountpark for aefusing to shift the hatches were cailed for re-employment by the Labour ihigagement B'ureau this moriing but their dises were not lifted and hey were placed on a two-days' penalty. A call was then made and accepted lor certain priority ships' and the haaaful of remaining men were asked to work the Mountpark. They refused.and were also placed on the penalty. No labour was cousequently .avaiiable for the Union Co. '$ coastal sfiips Korowai and Wimarino whieh remained idle. . ' To-.morrow morning calls for labour Will be made in the following priority: Repl.acements of labour- for the ships manned previously, non-refrigerated ships earrying perishable cargo, cemcnt vessels and colliers and the Mountpark. If the discs for the Mountpark are again not lifted, another .124 men will be placed on a two-days' penalty. The Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers ' Union held another. special stopworlc meeting to-day when its decision to maintain 40-hour week was once more confirmed. Its president, Mr. H, Barnes, left by air for Wellington during the day for discussions concerning the dispute. There are 11 overseas ships and seven large coastal vessels at waterfront berths, one overseas ship and a collier at Chelsea, and three overseas ships, the Talabot with-. Scandiniavian cargo, the Paparoa with New York cargo, and the Fort ■ Couligne with Australian cargo, at anehor. Lengthy delays have been ex-peri-enced in the discharge of sugar at Chelsea from the British steamer Shea'f Holme. The ship arrived from Fiji with about 8200 tons of sugar on • Pebi'uary 8 and after three weeks ' work 4200 tons have still to be unloaded. On most days since' tlie imposition of the 40-hour week, work has ceased at' 3 pun. to enable the waterside workers to catch the ferry to the city. The hext ferry reaches the -Auckland waterfront some minutes after 5 p.m. and jtlvis is construed as involving overtime. * ' The application of the pref erence ruie was last applied in Auckland during July and August by the employers with perniission from the Commission in the' dunnage dispute. At one time during the dispute more than 1000 unionists were .under penalty 'for ref'usal to accept. engagement on prfeference vessels..