Auckland Wharfies Lose Privileges

Chronicle (Levin), 30 June 1949, Page 6

Auckland Wharfies Lose Privileges

i • i WELLINGTON ^ June 29. ; / The action of the Auckland braneh of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union -in refusing to work overtiifie on the Auckland waterfront on Monday night and until further notiee, •was a eoneerted breaeh of the Commission's order, taken in defianee of £t warning given by the Minister in his ietter of March 31 last to the national seere'tary of the union, that unauthorised . stoppages of work at any port would result. in diseiplinary aetion being taken. This was stated to-'night by the Minister . of Labour, Mr. MeLagan, whd add'ed that the Government had decided to suspend o'n and from June 30, the , powers and authorities of the Waterfront Industry Commission and the Waterfront Industry Authority. so f'ar as they apply to Auckland. ' ' Whi'le members of the union did not, by secret ballot, give the assurance asked for in the Minister 's letter of March 31, fihat they desired a- eon-. tinuance of the commission form oi .•ontrol on tlie1^ waterfront and were "prepared to aceept and abide by the deeisions of the Waterfront Industry. Authority, the aetion of the" great majority of waterside workers throughout New Zealand- in earrying on work since that date withont interruption, is a praetical indication that members of the uiiion at all ports other than Auekiand, appreciate the benefits of .the ominission form of control and desire tts eontinuance, " says the Minister 's . tateinent. "The Government has acrepted that expression of their wish .or a eontinuance of Commission eon trol and eonsiders that the waterside workers who have earried on normal work and have .aeeepted the deeisions of tlie Waterfront Industry Authority, -hould not be depi'ived of its benefits. Apparently, however, there are memoers in the Auckland braneh of the .mion who do not want to see work arried on regularly and who desire to oring about stoppages in order to create ehaos and ill-will and who are ,-eizing every opportunity to hold up .he loading and diseliarging of ships at the port and prevent goodwill being established. ' ' The Minister added that the Government 's action meant the suspension of all orders and deeisions of the Coiu mission, including the main. order preseribing wages, eonditiohs of employment, the abandonment of the co-oper ative contraeting system and loss of profits accruing to members thereundcr, the suspension of the guaranteed daily and weekly minimum payments and the suspension of mimerous other | improi'ements in * working eonditions granted by tlie Commission to water- : side workers at Auckland. The Minister said the Government regretted having to. take the step it had. If Commission control was to be retained, then the orders and deeisions of the Commission. and Authority must. be aeeepted and observed.