TALLY CLERKS' TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1984, 14 February 1914, Page 6

TALLY CLERKS' TROUBLE.

• NEW UNION'S TACTICS., Regarding tho rather jiec.uliar position' which has arisen as the result- c'f tho formation of a Tally -Clerks' Union ■in Wellington, a statement lia.s 'been put ill circulation, viz.. that out of tho list of nfcmcS'. attained, to the netiiioji presented to the Conciliation Cominis- ■ siolior on Wednesday % tlio jion-Unian-. ist tally clerks, only three Wire casual■l'lerks. This statemeiit is, according to a . representative of the; anti-unionists, qviiW incorrect. Our informant states ■Mint as a matter of fact there are only three permanent 't'a-'lly clerks receiving a w-cekly wage in Welliiigtoii. Thosa three aro tlio c-inployees of the Uiiion ■S.S:. Co.. the New 'Zealand Shipping Co., and Messrs-. W. M. Bannatynn ana ■ Co., respectively. . All tho test aro paid by tiro day, and aro therefore genunio casual tally cierks, Tlio aiiti-i'.niouists also wish to refute thft statement njado, befflrfe -the Coftc.ilidt.ion. Council by Mr. Simpson- to tho effect that tlio petitioners -Were not casual tally elorks. Thoy ate at a loss to know why they were debarred representation before the Conciliation Co.mniissioiier. ' Tho jjositioii of tlio non-nnionist tally clerks, in brief, is as follows: —They have been tor years in daily attendanro ■at tho 'wharves, with very few exceptions, seeking no othdr form, lit employment, and as the result , have obtained the bulk of tlio' work offering. On tho other hand somo of the men responsible for tho ■■ formation of the union .Ire these whoso attendance at 'tho wharves has. been spasmodic, and who are lrcqueiitlv cmployed elsewhere at other work than tallying cargo. It is now alleged that these men wish to lay down tlio -law as to whom the shipping companies shall emplov as tally .clerks, and i-hjs ri'iVy possibly work to tho detriment of thoso who -have' worked steadily over a term of years at the ships' sides The incorrect statement referred to also says that some of the old tally eierks made as much as £5 and £G a -.vec-lc, tlnis giving the impression tliat that is tho wage earned all the year | rotiinl. Otir infftrs-Viant e-n-.pliatirally- ' that tho'ro is no tally -clerk employes '. on. the wharves oarn.iii-g moro -i.ltali ■.i£.4 \ 10s. par week .all tho year roundlnj-. v j may earn £5 or -even £6 A wc'elt lit, the j busy season by working overtiniij but J on "tho average the wages earned, faiigp i lronv £4 Itts,' downwards.