SEAMEN'S STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 11, 8 October 1917, Page 6

SEAMEN'S STRIKE

POINTS FOR INTERPRETATION. There is still no sign of any settlement of the local seamen's strike. , The application for interpretation (filed by the Inspector of Awards) submits the following statement of mutters iu dispute and questions for answer: — A: Clause 9—(a) At sea the hours of labour for deck hands should Jiot be more than eight in a day, to he worked as may be required by the employer, (b) At sea the hours of labour for stokc-holcL-and engine-room-- hands should be not more than eight in a day, to be worked as may be required by the employer (a day means from midnight to midnight). Question: Has the employer tho right- at sea to work seamen any eight hours in any day? B: Clause. 9—(d) When a vessel arrives in port and leaves again tin* same day, or when she .arrives' and leaves within eight hours between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m., the ship may; at the option of tho mas: ter, be treated as at sea. Question: When a vessel arives in port and leaves again the same day, or when a vessel arrives and leaves within eight hours be : tween 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.. and is treated "as at sea," and seamen have performed, say, two hours' work before arrival in port and will be required to perform two hours' duty after departure, can the balance of the eight hours to be worked in port be worked at any time (without payment of overtime) as may be required, by the master and as provided in Clause .9 (a) and (b) ? C: Clause 11 (b)—The hours of labour in port for deck, engine-room, and stokehold hands should be between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., except that on days of departure from a port the chief engineers .may set watches three hours before the Vtime fixed for the departure of the vessel. Question: When a vessel arrives in port and a seaman has worked, say, four hours at sea before arrival, can the balance of the eight hours be worked at any time between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (meal hours excluded) as may be required by the employer? D: Clause 18 —Tho meal hour allowed in port shall be for any one hour between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.; for dinner, any one hour between 12 noon and 2 p.m.; for tea, if working overtime, any one hour between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., and if work is to be continued after 11 p.m.. one hour for supper ' between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Seamen should not be under any obligation to'curtail any mealtime even ou the terms of payment for overtime. Question: Where a vessel (such as is the case regularly with the s.s. Pateena) has to sail at 12.15 p.m., can , the master send some of the men to dinner at noon and the Test of the men at Hp.m.. or can all the men be required to,take their dinner after the departure of the ship? E: The Court is further requested to decide if, vhere the manning scale of the Shipping and Seamen Act allows vessels to carry less than six able seamen, it is essential to the safety of such vessels that two deck hands should be employed on the deck at the same time in addition to tho officer in charge?

A NtfrsON ■REf-OLU'ITON. By (Telesrapli—P r '!'-'? Association. Nelson, October G. • The following resolution was carried unanimously by the Nelson City Council: "That in view of the inconvenience and cost this district is being put to by the steamer strike, the council urges upon the Government the neefssity to stand firm in its reioive to compel the seamen of coastal steamers In resume work. That this council pledges nil moral and physical support at its command to the Government in forcing an early settlement of the strike."