WATERFRONT WORK

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 56, 30 November 1918, Page 12

WATERFRONT WORK

INFLUENZA AND OTHER DELAY. Conditions concerning the dispatch of shipping from Wellington are at the present time stated to be highly unsatisfactory to shipowners, who nllege that the watersiders and seamen are rather inclined to take advantage of tho prevailing epidemic-. A shipping company manager told a reporter yesterrlav that twice the ordinary time was taken by the watersider? in working vessels in port, and as a result, considerable inconvenience nml delay had been caused. The action of the workers of ceasing work at 11.30 n.m. and 4.110 p.m. each day, in order lo pass through • the inhalation chamber, was also unsatisfactory, as the men were paid for that-time, despite the fact that they did no work. In addition to this, the watersiders a few days ago, decided not to allow ship's crews to assist in the discharge and loading of vessels. This meant that the crew was idle during the vessel's stay in port, although they had to be paid~as usual. , .- ■

Following on the decision of the Auckland Union the Wellington ■'.Waterside Workers' Union has notified ..the shipowners that no work will bo doriu by'.its members nfter 5 p.m. each day until the state of the influenza epidemic is again reviewed at a meeting to be held.'on Thursday next. , ." ■ Regarding the manning of ships, it was complained that in mast cases crew's were obtained witli the exception of one' man, whose absence held up the ship, while the seamen engaged' were being paid the. whole time. • "The position is entirely unsatisfactory," concluded the shipping man, and if it does not soon improve, the companies will have to lay up their small steamers. The seamen are about, but they simply decline to start work."