HARBOUR BOARD & THE STRIKE,

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1887, 23 October 1913, Page 8

HARBOUR BOARD & THE STRIKE,

RESOLUTE ATTITUDE. FREE LABOUR TO BE ENGACED. Tlie strike was discussed at length by tho Wellington Harbour Board, which met last night. A resolution was adonted endorsing tho action of the chairman (Mr. R. Fletcher),- who was appointed to act with representatives of other employers in the necessary negotiations with tho union. A One-sided Affair. Tho subject was raised by the chairman who reported that ii certain Labour trouble had 'arisen which lie thought should be considered by tho board. Tho position was briefly this— that tho Shipwrights Union had demanded an increase of wages from their employers—the Union Company, Woods and Co., and the Harbour Board. Tlio matter had been before the board some time ago and the board had then agreed ithat whatever agreement was arrived at it would pay tho prescribed wages. Tlio shipwrights had subsequently become incorporated with the watorsido workers. He had pointed out to Mr. Farlano that ho was doing wrong in calling a meeting. The first ho had known of this meeting was the, advertisement which had appeared in a newspaper the previous day. For a long timo tho agreement had been a onesided affair. Ho had pointed out that it was possible to bring about a settlement winch would bo fair to everybody. I:Io wanted to seo if something could not bo done to avert the crisis. This was at 11. o'clock on Tuesday. He had not seen Mr. Farlano since. Ho wished the hoard to agrco that ho had acted in a proper manner. I Board Will Get Labour Anywhere. Ho had instructed the wharfinger to give proper notice that the board would get labour anywhere, it could, so as to carry on its work. (Hear, hear.) They had not been very successful in getting labour, and work had been carried on ' under ki'wH diffiijulticn, Kb must iwy iliat overs piembar of the Doroa&eiit u

staff had acted loyally. (Hear, hear.) 'lliey had all douo t-fieir best, ana a very good "best" it was. Their action had quite removed any doubt as to their loyalty which tho r board might havo entertained as tho result of their action on a proyious 0 occasion. (Applause.) Ho was sure 0 that the board would b© pleased with 11 tho loyalty of its staff. (Hear, hear.) o Mr. Fletcher read tho following letd tor which had been received by tho ■ secretary from members of tho per- " mancnt staff: 0 The executive of tho Wellington I' Harbour Board's Permanent liniployces' Association, having consitlered the action of the Waterg sido Workers' Union in proposing j! to hold a "stop work" meeting of the said union on Wednesday,, October 22, at 8 a.m., are of the opinion that the proposed action is unnecessary and ill-advised. We, therefore, call oil all our members | to loyally carry out any work to which thoy may bo assigned. 3 The letter was signed by Messrs. L. 3 D. Browne (president), S. Martin Ivicot president), Johu Bailey (vice-president), _ ii. Rossiter (secretary), W. Cronibie (treasurer), F. Jenkins* J. Gr. Gregory, t C. A. M'Kenzie, I. W. Bailey, and H. 1 Cartwright (members of committee). Every legitimate effort, the chairman 1 continued, would be made to carry out the board's work. Ho had warned the president of tho union that if they ceased work they would be breaking their agreement with the employers, and they would havo to stand by tho result. He would do his duty and stand bv the board, but ho would take no step • Whioh imight leause any uwnecessarv ; trouble. (Hoar, hear.) J Board Members' Views. r - Jones said that ho presumed the i board would take on any labour which > it could get in order to carry on- neces- ; sary works. . Mr. Cohen thought that tho board s should give an expression of its opinion > on the question of the chairman s act ir le " ona %,ho cordially approved xi • J-' I°telier's statement, and of • tlio attitude he had adopted. He j hoped that members of the board would be able to make the chairman feel that ' 110I 10 nii confidence in tho stand he ; had taken against the ill-advised and ■ arrogant attempt of tjie men to flaunti their employers and to disregard tho ; convenience of' the public. (Hear, hear.) The movement could not possibly have behind it that measure of public opinion which was essential to ( every such action. He approved the L stand tasen by the board's own employees. He had been one of tho first to speak ill depreciation of their lapse a. J *°w weeks ago, and he would 1 now like to be one of the first to voice the opinion that they had completely rehabilitated themselves in tlie eyes of the board. (Hear, hear.) Ho "moved the following resolution"That tho statement made by the chairman in the present trouble in connection with tlie waterside workers be cordially approved by the board 1 , and tlfat the'board will staiicl firmly by him in any action which may bo neoessary in resenting the demands now made, oven to the extent of temporary cessation of activity on the wharves; and that any suitable labour be engaged as long as is necessary. Men's Champion Flouted. Mr. Dariicll said that as the senior country member of tho board he would like to express his appreciation of tho efforts made by tho chairman to settle the difficulty. It was unfortunate that tho most strenuous advocate of the mens interests on the board for many years—the chairman himself—should have been flouted by tho men. Mr. Fletcher had often strained a point on behalf of the workers. Now ho found himself flouted by them, and in tho speaker's opinion, he deserved the sympathy of the . board. Mr. FletSdher ought to bo given some definite authority to act. Position of Free Labourers, Mr- Cobbo asked what would bo tho position of free labourers. Would tlio board stand by them and givo them future employment? The chairman said that the matter was one for tlio board to decide. Some of tho shipping companies had managecj to got labour, but the board had not been successful. Ho believed that tho bulk of the men wero anxious to go to work. Several of them had come to him, and had said that, they wanted to go to work. The officials of the union had led tho men into tho blunder, and ho personally thought that the . men would go to work next morning. Mr. M'Farlane said that tho board should take on any man vdio presented himself for work. Tho board had notbeen able to get much free labour, because the notice given was too short, but it would soon bo obtainable, even if they had to bring workers in from tho country. The board must get its stuff loaded. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Trevor heartily endorsed .the chairman's action. He know that Mr. Fletcher would look after the board's interests, even against the men for whom ho had always sliofvn so much sympathy. _ Tlio chairman said that when the crisis had occurred ho saw his duty clear, and he would carry it out without fear or favour. Ho would do no- - thing drastic or until he | had to. (Hear, hear.) i Mr. Jones asked if tho board would givo its protection to any labourers who -j came forward. j Mr. Cobbe: Will they be acknowledged , in future ? j The chairman: We can't say that, j There might bo hundreds of them. Mr. Trevor: But they would get preference? The chairman: I think you can safely leave that in tho hands of tho board and its officers. Mr. Hindmarsh said that on tho occasion of the last trouble, some mem-, bers of the board had wanted a very extreme resolution passed, but the chairman had dealt with the matter in a. more reasonable way. He hoped f that the board, as a- public body, would x do nothing to provoko antagonism. j The chairman: Wo can givo no as- ' surance, ono way or tho other. s Mr. Cohen: I agree with that. j. Mr. Hindmarsh regretted that there „ had been any reference to "free labour." Ho thought that unionists \ should be offered work first. t Tho chairman. That has been done, t Mr. Hindmarsh: I hope you will use c your restraining influence on both sides, t The chairman: I shall do everything, f and I shall make no difference. . Wo " want labour, and anyone who comes for- s ward will get work. It doesn't matter whether ho is a unionist or not. "No Preference." n Mr, M'Farlane: Thero will be no preference one way or the other. t; The chairman: I shall not ask ■]( whether a man is a unionist or other- a wise. As I havo said, the agreement fi ceases to exist. For a long time it w has only been a one-sided agreement. 11 Mr, Cohen's motion was then carried 0 without dissent. ® Board and shipping Companies, | The chairman further reported that t( I a meeting of shipping companies and j; other employers had been held in the „ afternoon, at which a motion (recorded T! elsewhere) had been adopted. Ho had 1> been asked to represent the board on a J1 committee of employers, but ho would Q not accept tho appointment without the consent of the board. As a matter of £ fact, he was not at all anxious to act, , but he would do so if the board thought fit-. He thought tho hoard, as the largest employer of wharf labour, should be represented. , On tho motion of Mr. Cohen, the „ chairman was appointed to act for the y. hpitrd iin wnijuuetian with tho otlwr <)< employers, i

Access to tho Labour Waiting-room^ Mr. Fletcher then brought up the action of tho union in holding ameotiiig in tho waiting-shed at 9 a.m. yesterday. Tho union had been graaited the use of tlio room on tho condition that it was used outside the hours of engagement—B a.m. to 10 a.m. He had, mentioned tho matter to the president of the union, who frankly confessed that thoy wero acting wrongly. Of course, had he so wished, lie could havo stopped tho meeting. , A member:. How? Tho chairman: By locking tho doors. Mr. Cohen thought that tho attention of tho union having been called to the breach of agreement, tho executive should be informed that the conditions must, be complied with. Mr. M'Farlane suggested that tho matter be left in tho hands of the chairman. Mr. Hindmarsh thought that the m-sn should still bo allowed tho use of the room. Mr. Cohen moved that tho matter be loft at the discretion of the chairman. Mr. Ilindmars'h said that ho thought the matter was a very petty ono. The chairman: So do I; but I thought it should come before tho hoard. Mr. Hindmarsh: There shouldn't be any resolution. Mr. Cohen: On the contrary, I think the matter should be pressed. ' The men have created a' grave breach of their agreement. They havo broken it before, and thoy seem to have thought that thev could do it again whenever they wished. The motion to leave the matter_ to the chairman's discretion was carried.