SHIPWRIGHTS BACK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 5

SHIPWRIGHTS BACK.

. A USELESS STRIKE., Yesterday members of the shipwrights' branch of tho old Waterside AVorkers' Union recommenced work under tho old conditions, save for tho fact that their union has now been registered under the Arbitration Act. On Saturday,_ October 18, practically without warning, members of tho shipwrights' branch of the AVellington AVaterside AVorkers' Union went out on strike. Tho union—a, small oil© of 36 journeymen members—decided to adopt this courso because tho employers had refused to grant certain demand:; for higher wages, etc. Some of the men who struck had been thirty years in the trade. At tie timo of tlio strike the mow . were receiving Is. 6d. an hour ordinary timo, Is. 10|d. an hour overtime for the first two hours, and 2s. 3d, an hour thereafter. Tho union's demand was for Is. Bd-. per hour ordinary time, and overtime at tlio rate of 2s. Bd. ail- hour till 10 p.m., aiul 2s'. lOd. an hour afterwards. The employers offered Is. "d. an .hour ordinary time, with overtime at tho rat© of 2s. an hour for the first two hours, and 2s. 4.Jd. an hour 'thereafter. In additibn to the above-men-tioned demands the union asked thattlio working week of 45J hours be reduced by granting the men an hour for dinner instead of three-quarters of an hour. Holidays also came into the dispute. Among other demands by the union was quo for payment for time occupied in going to and from Work at tho Patent Slip at Miramar. At first this strike was not- considered serious) but' barely a week passed before it grew, and tho AA'ateTside- AVorkers' Union! held a "stop work" meeting for tho purpose of considering the demands or tho Shipwrights' Union. The "stop work" meeting was held, and in holding it the union committed a gv«ss broach of their-agreement with ' tho employers. This culminated in a Vs I strike- which lasted, -as far as tho waterside* workers and seamen wero concerned, about 50 days. After eleven weeks of unemployment the shipwrights have gained nothing— neither penny per hour increase in wages nor the travelling time. Those that- obtained work yesterday (about- 18 men) went back under the old' conditions. All could not obtain employment as there was. insufficient work, but there is no doubt that tho labour problem will adjust itself in the course, of a few days. Shipwrights are employed by the 'Onion Company, S. Wood ami Son, ('.ml tho Wellington Harbour Board.