THE UNHAPPY WHARF

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2137, 1 May 1914, Page 8

THE UNHAPPY WHARF

UNION'S OFFICERS MARY

WILL BATTLE NO FURTHER

FEW LOYAL MEM LEFT, A conference was held yesterday between members of the executive of ti.ie Citizens' Defence Committee arid representatives of the Wellington Wharf Labourers' (Arbitration) Union to discuss the investigation ■of complaints si bout the control and allotment of work on the waterfront. Some little time ago a committee was set up to ■-vhicli all such coniplaihts were to bo referred. Concerning this committee and its work the union reoi'esentstives now complain that they aie under an injustice, inasmuch as no agent of the union is allowed to appear before the committee. Tho unionists say, in effect, that, although complaints are investigated by the committee. i)io union have not been satisfied Willi the committee's decisions.

Defence Committee's Proposal. These grievances were put brtorsi tho conference, yesterday by the union re * prcsentntircs, and to meet their/complaint tho executive of the Citiacns' Committee proposed that the personnel of the Investigation Committee should bo altered. This proposal was embodied in tho following resolution by Mr. It. Fletcher, and seconded by Mr, W. A. Kennedy, and accepted previously by tho union delegates:—

.. "That it be a recommendation, that a committee consisting of two representatives of the unitsit, two representatives of tlio employers, , and an independent chairman should bo set up to doa! with com- ■ plaints regarding work on the waterfront." The resolution was put in tiiis shape because the union representatives could not bind themselves without the consent of the union executive to accept definitely any such scheme. How the Union Executive lYtfli tiro Proposal, This proposal was brought before the executive of the unioit at- a meeting yesterday afternoon and the following resolution was carried at Ike meeting: "That, as from to-day } the exocutivo have decided to reccivo ho complaints from any member ef thb union who may wish to complain of not receiving any cqncciskm which ho considers that, ho is entitled to by ■ ■ virtue of being classified as a pre- ' ferenco" hand, ar.d, . fwthor, theexecutive .now considers that the obligations entered into by the? cifiployers to givo prefercncj , . to umxmtists who joined on or before I)e» ' comber 8, 1913,- is a matter that, should bo dealt with between the t; employers and tlio employees .concerned, whom they consider tlio; proper _ porsons to deal with such complaints, it being a nwtfor outsaid the jurisdiction of the executive."

What It All Means, _ % The meaning of tiiis somewhat cryptic' resolution is explained in a measure by tho following statement made by a inomber of the executive to a Dominion reporter: ''The (executive says that, ever since tho termination of tho strike, there has been a , good deal of dissatisfaction existing between the prcfefenco' men and tlio foremen, and, tion-sequmit-Iy, the executivo has continuiiliy been, receiving numerous;-complaints * horn the pretoienco men. i'iik has pui noun tlio executive'a lot of extra -work, Mid the members of the executive consider that, iu many cases, their services have not been appreciated by tho employers. Often, also, members of the executive have come in for a lot of abuse to which they were not entitled. After reviewing the situatjon they have .now come to tho conclusion that their services have been very much in vain, inasmuch as there now remains on the wharf, comparatively speaMh-g, only a very fow of those who should have received preference for work offering.

What the Employers Guaranteed, "The text of the agreenicnt- which the companies signed on December 8 is as follows: 'We, tho undersigned employers of wharf labour on the AVelKugton waterfront, hereby advisu you that wo have decided that, although tire new agreement to be registered between employers and employees provides for preference of employment to members of the \\ ellingtoH Wharf Labourers' Industrial Union of Workers, we guarantee priority or engagement to all those metnbe-vs who joined the union on or before lloTiday, December 8, 1913, and are of good character, and who, in the opinion of tlie labour formen, arc capable of -satisfactorily performing titoir duties, it being understood that tho union will provide eyoxy such member with a means of identification for the guidance of tho labour foremen.' "The executive now trusts that tlie employers will fully realise the extent of tho obligations they entered info, and will carry out the tennis of their own resolution regarding preference."