CARGO WORK.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1342, 20 January 1912, Page 6

CARGO WORK.

THE NEW AGREEMENT. WORK STOPPED ON .WHARVES*' •. ) "—— ' . PUBLIC MUST PAT. The wharf labourers of "Wellington, to tho number of GOO or 700, held a union meoting in the waiting-room on the wharf yesterday morning at 10 o'clock. The principal business of the meeting was to receive the report of the executive of the Federation of Labour on the recent conference, and to hear tho agreement Tead. This done, there were numerous speeches, but as tho meeting was not open to the press, the purport of them is not known with any oertainty. There was frequent hearty applause, and the meeting closed with several rounds of loud cheers for the Federation of Labour and the executive. Tho men appeared to bo well satisfied with the improved conditions disclosed. in the agreement. Practically all cargo work was suspended on tho wharf, notwithstanding the fact that there was a good deal of shipping in the port, and a lot of cargo ready for handling. Only some 50 of the Ilarbonr Board's permanent men remained on duty, with, perhaps, half-a-dozen other men, and with this short supply of labour the board's staff did their best to bridge tho gap created, and to do all the most urgent' work. At 11 o'clock, however, even those men left their work to go to hear Air. Semple speak, and things came to a full stop until after the .mid-day meal hour. Tho matter had been arranged with' the Union Company, and their vessels at tho wharves closed down altogether at 10 o'clock, making no attempt to work cargo. So .far as can be learned, tho Harbour Board and mo?fc of the shipping, companies were advised of tho proposed cessation of work, but they were not consulted as to whether it vfouhl bo convenient. As_ a matter of fact, it ■was most inconvenient, for the morning should havo been an exceptionally busy one. Mr. G. G. Farland, secretary of the nnion, told a Dominion, reporter, who ipoke to him about tho meeting, that there was no command issued by the union that the mens hould oease work. It was simply "a union call," and the men were freo to come to tho meeting or «tay at work, as they pleasod. _ All the whipping companies know of it. The meeting had been held, at that hour because it was the most suitable one from the men's poiut of view. THE AGREEMENT. WELLINGTON TERMS. Following is the text of the agreement eo fam as it affects Wellington:— Hours of Work. For all classes of labour, the ordinary hours shall be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., ei-, elusive of meal hour (from 12 noon to 1 p.m.); Monday to Friday, both inclusive. On Saturday, the ordinary hours shall, bo from 8 a.m. to noon. All other time, thall.be classed as overtime. .' Rates of Pay. At the port of Wellington, the following shall be the Tates of pay per hour for the work hereinafter specified >" s g S cS - ►» ® • °rri ■ £. .22 is J 3"' • , O ..'.'Oft, , s. d. e. d. g.'d. Stevedore and general garfco work 1 5 • 2 2* 2 3 Handling coal. Hen * . employed a 3.' winchmen, plankmen, bullropemen, tippers, men shovelling - in tho " . ; holds'' of 6hips, and hulks, and in trucks, men employed in shifting hulks, and in rigging gear _ 16 8 3 Si Jfen employed in trimming in ships', bunkers, Home-going and foreign steamers ...... 1 8 2 5 t 6 Men employed in trimming in ships', bunk-. ors on intercolonial and coastal ' steam-" " era 18 2 8 2 9 Men employed carrying coal .2 0 . 3 0 3 0. Eepair work. Overhauling" work on ships , ' including : work in the interior),! whether at ' the' : wharves or ; Patent Slip, such as chipping, cleaning, , scrubbing, and painting .' 14 2 12 2 •Similar work on ballast tanks, peaks, bilges, chain lockers, and under the' boilers .' 11 2 1. 2 2 Handling frozen meat. Carrying and stowing work in freezing chambers aboard ship 1. 9 2 !) 2 It In cool chambers 1 5 2 2 2 3 Leading hands to receive lid. per hour extra, the conditions ■ for leading hands to remain as at present. Superphosphates (when not in Australia or New Zealand), sulphur, guano, bonedust, basic slag, Japanese phosphate, and pebbles, when in quantities of morn than 25 tons in a hatch 1 r> 2 3 3 5 't'heso rates to be paid only to men actually handling K«ch goods. Starting Work at Midnight on Sundays. Tho overtimo rato for work dono between midnight on Sundays and 8 a.m. on Mondays shall 'be doublo tho ordinary rate for the class of work tho men are engaged at. Outports. Men engaged to work cargo at ports other than those in which thoy are usually employed shall bo paid from tho timo of leaving until their return at the Tato of 12s. per day (excluding Sundays), with meals, lares, and sleeping accommodation provided. If they leave between midnight and 2 p.m. on the following day, they shall bo paid for a whole day; and if they leave between 2 p.m. and midnight they shall be paid for half a day. This allowance shall not, however, apply to men engaged for work at an outport and who havo been working up to tho time of leaving, on the ship going to the outport, but the pay .of'such men shall continue up to s'. p.m.' oci the day of leaving .whether work-, ting- or not. \Vork in Stream; and at Dry Docks, or at Slip. • Men engaged to'work within the limits of any of the harbours covered by this agreement to bo paid from the time of leaving, the place .of engagement and up to' the time of arrival at wharf on re-" turn, : at the rate fixed for tho class of labour they, arc engaged at; but this clause •hall not apply to men sent to work at' the Lyttelton dry docks , or 6lip. At'the port of Wellington, if men are notified on the previous day that they will bo required to work in the stream, they shall take their lunch with them, but if not so notified, the tug-boat or launch shall leave the vessel in the Etream at 11.45 a.m., and flhall leave the wharf on return at 1 p.m. Arrangements for paying wagea due to men working in tho stream on the usual pay-day may be made between tho union and tho employer or employers concerned, and, failing their agreement the matter shall be referred to the local committee to bo appointed as hereinafter provided for tlwir decision. Men Ordered Down. Men who aro ordered down and attend and aro not employed shall reccive a minimum of two hours' pay, and similarly, if put on to work, shall not be paid for loss than two hours, such payments to bo made at tho ordinary or overtime rates (according to the timo ordered down), for tho class of work they were engaged for, and the employer shall havo liberty, within such two hours, to employ any such man so ordered down, either on the ship

'for whreh he was originally engageff n ■any other belonging to or consigned ti the employer. , This clauso shall not, however, applj in tho caso of men who havo been work ing on tho same ship on tho previous daj and cannot start again at tho usual timi on the next day in consequence of worl being stopped by rain or shortage o: railway trucks; such men, however, an to bo permitted to return to ■ the whar labourers' waiting room. Holidays. All work done on Sundays, Christmaj Day and Good Friday shall be paid foi at the rate of double overtime. All worl done on any of the other holidays here inafter mentioned shall be paid for at th< rate of ordinary overtime between 8 a.m and 5 p.m. (at tho rato fixed to 10 p.m.] ind double ordinary time for any worl before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. Tho holidays throughout the year shal be New Year's Day, Anniversary Day Good Friday, Easter Monday, Birthday of the reigning Sovereign, Labour Day Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and thi union's picnic day. If any of the holiday shall be generally observed on any da; other than that on which it falls, thi provision of this agreement shall appl; to such other day instead of the origina day. The <kto of the union's picnic at each port shall be determined, in each year, by tho Local Committee, and the union shall not debar any of its members fron working on such picnic day if they desire to do so. Meal Honrs. Breakfast, 7 ajn. to 8 a_m. Dinner, 12, noon to 1 pjn. Tea, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Supper horar and break for refreshments during tho_ night. At Wellington.—One hour' botween 10 p.m. and midnight, according to circumstances. Men employed from midnight to 7 a.m. shall bo allowed an interval for refreshments not exceeding half an hour, for which half hour no payment shall be made. Men shall work during meal hours if required to do so,' and shall bo paid at doublo ordinary rates, for, dinnor, tea, or supper hours; and also for tho breakfast hour, when men have been working from midnight. Otherwise the breakfast hour shall bo paid for at ordinary overtime rate. Men shall not be called upon to work more* than fivo hours consecutively without an opportunity far having a meal, except: (1) In the case of a ship finishing at midnight, when thoy may work six hours. Men' who are engaged to start work at 11 p.m. shall take their supper before commencing work, and shall only bo entitled to tho ordinary overtime rata when working .through tho supper hours fixed by this clause. The. men to receive a full hour for their meal when they require it. (- Engagement of Labour. All labour shall be engaged at some definite place or places to be determined from time to- timo by an agreement in writing between tho secretary of tho union and the employer or employers concerned, provided that, in the event of any exceptional circumstances arising, men may be engaged elsewhere. In the event of' the parties being unable to agree on a place or places for engagement, or as to what are exceptional ciroumstances, the matter shall be referred to the' Local Committoe for decision. Tho hours at which the _ engaging of men (either for ordinary timo or overtime) shall take place, and the question as to the stating of - a definite time to start work shall-be referred .to the Local Committee for decision J and the decision of the' Wellington committee _ shall be given within two weeks, and of other committees within two months, from the date of this agreement. In the meantime, existing practices are to continue. Waterside workers shall not take the lines of vessels unless' engaged for . the purpose at the recognised place of . engagement. Failure to Start Work. When men are ordered down to work and one or more fails to appear or to commence work at the appointed time the gang affected shall, if required to do so, work short-handed for one hour, to allow of the substitute or substitutes being found, provided that such substitutes may Ire engaged, at any timo irrespective of the time for the engagement of labour, which may be fixed under clause 9 hereof. Temperature of Moat Chamfosr. The temperature of the meat chamber while men are working therein' is- not to be lower than 10 degrees above zero. Commencing Work. . Any man starting work on any boat must finish that boat before commencing work on any other (unless he is discharged by his employer). _ Before transferring labour from one job to another, the employer shall first ascertain if there aro competent men willing to aocept employment, available at the plaoo of engagement, and_ in such case he shall employ such mon in preference to those already working. *. Ventilatioji. All holds to be ventilated with windsails where not otherwise sufficiently vontilatcd. In the event of any dispute arising as to the ventilation of any ship, the matter shall' be referred to the Local Committee for' decision. Employment of Labour. No employer of labour shall be a member of the union, and no member of th( union shall be the agent of any omployei as regards putting men to work or di& charging them, except in cases of emergency, or unless such member is usually employed as a foreman. Should any dispute ariso under this clause, the mattei shall be referred to the Local Committee for decision. Nightwatchman. Casual nightwatohmion shall be paid 10s per night from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Payment of Wages. The days and times on which wage; shall bo paid weekly shall be agreed it writing between the employer or employers concerned, and tho secretary oi the union; and in the event of their failing to agree, the matter shall be reform to tho Local Committee for decision Ponding any new agreement on the 6ub ject, the existing practices of the employers shall continue. When a man through sickness or bj reason of the fact that he is leaving th< port, is unable to collect his wages oi tho usual pay day, an order from him foi any wagns duo (the said order being countersigned by the secretary of tho union) shall be honoured by tho employer; bu such orders, in tho case of sick men, shal only be presented for payment on thi usual pay-day. Fractional Time. Fractions of an hour shall be paid, fo: as follows:—If a man shall work ncrtmori . than fivo minutes in any quarter of ai " hour, he'shall not be paid for the same ' but if ho shall work more than five min , utes of an hour : he shall be paid foi quarter of an hour. Baskets (Coaling Work). , Carrying baskets shall average 12} t< i the ton. Largo baskets shall average fivi to the ton, and not loss than four mm : shall bo engaged shovelling in tho hold - and fivo men in tho case of rough Now castle coal, and not less than two mei i shall bo engaged at tho tip. Ballast baskets shall average five to th< ton, and the minimum number of mei to be' engaged shovelling in tho hold shal be tho'same as in the case of coal gangs. The numbnr of gangs to be employed ii a hatch discharging shall not excced oni to every ten feet square of tho hold, i As far as is reasonably practicable, she i oak nets and old savealis shall not bi used for separating parcels of'coal, ' i When two large baskets aro being fillet at the one time, and the bullrope is used [ a douhle gang shall be employed below. \ When two coal baskets aro used dis , charging with the yard arm gear, si: . men only shall bo employed shovelling ii , tho hold. Except aa varied by this clause in th case of rough Newcastlo coal, tho exist ing practices as to tho number of mei omtiloycd shovelling shall be continued. The provisions of this clause concern ' ing tho number of men to bo rmgagei ; shovelling or at the tip shall not appl; 1 to coastal vessels of 150 tons net registe 1 and under. ! Coal Carrying (Home Steamer's Only). , This matter shall be referred to th ■ Local Committee for decision, with i recommendation that where th? distano > j to be oarried io otot fifty yards an inter