Judge Criticises Waterfront System

Chronicle (Levin), 8 February 1949, Page 6

Judge Criticises Waterfront System

WELLINGTON, Feb. 7. The system of mrdering overtime work on the New Zealand waterfront was very close to.a breacli of the prmciples of stabilisation, said Mr. Justice Tyndall, in the Arbitration Court today. His Honour's statement was macte during the hearing of award claims by ihe New Zealand Harbonr Board Employees'Uniou. Discussing the overtime hours worked by harbopr board men the workers representative (Mr. R. Freeiand) said though work on the waterfront mighi stop at 7 p.m. sometimes even if it had been ordered until, perhaps, 9 p.m., the harbour board's toen were always iast to leave and had^many extra dutie^ tiperform. His Honour: But- why should men leave at 7' p.m. if they have been ofder ed to work overtime until 9 p.m.? Who gives a silly order like that? Mr. Freeiand: It is sometimes done by the shipping companies as incenti\e lo get a job done quiekly. His Honour: To bustle things up, eh? Where does stabilisation come in? xt seems an abuse of its principles. ti amounts to the employers giving men three hours' overtime for a job that only take one hour. It is an easy wa) of evading stabilisation and approache1dangerouslv close to faking overtime. Mr. Freeiand -.eixplained that often the employers had no idea how long s job might actually take and that the weather took a big part in operations. The union's. claim §ought vvage in creases ranging frpm 10s to £2.a week. | other points. -in dispute. ineluded over I time payments, minimum payments. fro • [work -on Sunday or holidays, the pro | vision of annnal picnic days, and threu j weeks ' annual holiday, and sick pay.