WHARF WORKERS' UNION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2310, 18 November 1914, Page 7

WHARF WORKERS' UNION

FURTHER TROUBLE PENDING. For some time there has been dif-. ferences of opinion amongst members of the.executive of the .Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union. As a-matter of. fact, ever since the strike of 1913 ter-. minated the executive has not been a happy family. It has been a troublous' time, for all concerned, and the result is that the present executive consists of two distinct parties. ; . One section, it is alleged, is holding up the business of the union, while the other side states that, being in the majority, they should have control of the affairs. It appears that since tho late secretary, vacated office- an -. acting-secretary has been appointed, who is also vicepiesident of tho union, and according to the rules ho- cannot hold the two positions.- Quite recently there ,was an election to fill a vacancy on the executive,, and a "preference" man was elected. This gavo the preference men equal voting power with the members of the old union, who are now on tho exeoutive. The latter contend that there is still a vacancy to be filled on account of the acting-secretary holding a dual position- They have appointed ■a prominent member of the executive of-the old union to the alleged vacant . position. The preference men will not recognise this appointment, hence the deadlock. •

Hie climax wag reached yesterday morning when the old hands desired to hold 'a. meeting of the executive—a meeting which should have been held the previous evening. / The acting-sec-rotary, whoiß also vioe-president, was absent through illness, and the president was also absent. The Union offices wore looked, and members who wished to pay their subscriptions, and thus become financial prior to this evening's general meotingiof the union, were unable to do so. The old hands, after having made repeated attempts to get into touch with the executive officers, took control of the union affairs, and received subscriptions, gave clearances to members, and carried on tbo work of the union generally. Last evening'thoy held an executivo meeting, at which the prominent loader in tho old union took his scat. The president of the union was' not present. From what'could be gathered, it . appears that +ho affairs of the union are in a chaotic state, and it is said that there will re some'trouble in straightening affairs.