FEDERATED SEAMEN'S UNION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2591, 13 October 1915, Page 6

FEDERATED SEAMEN'S UNION

AFFAIRS DISCUSSED WITH UNION CO." (By Telegraph.—Prpsß Association.! Dunedln, October 12. Messrs. Young (Wellington), Jack (Auckland), and Belcher (Dunedin), representatives of the Federated Seamen's Union, aro discussing certain matters with the management of the Union Company in regard specially to tlio manning of some of their vessels. TIIO main idea of the discussion is to endeavour to more equitably regulate the number of men employed in tho engine-room and stokejiold departments.

Mr. Young informed a reporter that theiß) was also tho matter of a number of vessels engaged in coastal, intercolonial, Australian, Canadian, and American trades, which aro operating on articles of agreement taken out_ in Australia with a foreign set of working conditions applied to the crew which cannot bo enforced in the Dominion. There is also the question of the discharge of seamen at the ports abroad, and they found this was largely • the cause of the shortage of seamen ui New Zealand. It was desired by the union that these matters be regulated so that ships operating oil the trades named should do so on articles takefl out in the Dominion, and tho crew working under the terms of the industrial agreement that the steamship owners of New Zealand liavo entered into with the union. Representations were also made that tho preference clause of the agreement bo more strictly carried out. Mr. Young said the Mararoa. ease was also discussed, and stated that the vessel was held up for special conditions to meet the special cnee created by the owners.

With reference to the accommodation of the firemen, trimmers,- and greasers on the Maori representations were made for' alteration. A suggestion was made to the company that the living quarters be transferred to the main deck.

Representatives of itlie union also referred to the lack of washing and bathing accommodation on the Kamona and Kaituna, and urged that a bathroom for the nso of the men be constructed in each vessel. Mr. Young said ho was unable to say yet what the results of tho delibera tions were, but they did not mean any alterations in tho terms and conditions respecting work on board ship. UNION DEALS WITH DRUNKEN FIREMEN. Dunedin, October 12. ' By direotion of tho head office of the executive of the Federated Seamen's Union, the secretary, Mr. Young, states that early this month it was reported to him that six firemen on a steamer lind been drunk and incapable of doing any work for one day, «nd tho next day five were still in. tho_ same condition, and one was invalided ashore through sickness. As the result of this the vessel was delayed nearly a day.

The executive of the union unani-' mously resolved to lino each man £5, and if the money is not paid within 14 days after the return of the vessel to a New Zealand port tho moil arc to bo expelled from the union. Now rules have been registered under tho Arbitration Act to protect the members of the union against tho misdeeds of a small oercentrigc of members.