THE WATERSIDE DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 131, 26 February 1921, Page 7

THE WATERSIDE DISPUTE

FEDERATION TO MEET EMPLOYERS A CONFERENCE TO-DAY AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS The waterside dispute has been advanced another stage towards a settlement. When the local Disputes Committee met on Thursday, at the request of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union, the representatives of the employers stated that the dispute had become national in scope, and that. they would be prepared to ciscuss it with delegatee iroru the Wateriide .Workers' Federation. This decision was conveyed to the federation, and that body informed the employers yesterday that it was willing to send representatives to a special conference. This conference, representing the Dominion organisations of the employers of waterside labour on the one hand and the waterside workers on the other hand, will take place to-day. The matter before the conference will bo the demand of the employers that a guarantee of normal working in the future shall be given before any more Waterside labour is engaged. Tho employers are not prepared to reopen the question of the bonus. Their offer of a bonus of Id. an hour stands ana wIM not be increased. A "Stop-Work Meeting.” A. "stop-work" meeting of the Wellington Waterside Union was held yesterday morning. An official renort stated merely that a report from the Waterside Workers’ Federation had boon received and adopted unanimously. When tho meeting broke up wild rumours Hew round as to the decisions that had been reached. One rumour was that SOO of the men had. resigned fi-om the union and the executive had received severe censure by the members. It is understood, however, from an unofficial source that the watersiders unanimously supported ■ a resolution brought down by the executive. The general opinion among shipping circles is that this resolution supports the federation, is in favour of no overtime being worked, and does not favour a return to worK on the employers terms. Tho Idle Boats. Again last night no overtime was worked on the vessels employing men except in the case of the ferry steamer Arahura. The list of idle steamers was added to yesterday by the arrival of the Otarama from Auckland and Ivapiti- from Picton. The idle overseas steamers in port now are: —The Dorset, Ruahine, Pakenn. Knranga, Kona, Athenic, Koranui, Garbeta, and Otarama. The Knmara is due to-day from Napier, the Manama is due to-morrow from Sydney, and the Port Hacking is expected from Napier. The Manuka left Sydney on Thursday, and is due here on Monday. The West Camargo is another overseas vessel due early next week. The coastal vessels . idle include the Hawera, Kapuni, Waverley. TCapiti. Blenheim, Baden Powell, Invercargill, Wairna. 'Opawn. Wakatu, Stella, Rosamond, Komata, and Kanna. The Kittawa and the Kaitan/;ata both sailed last , night. LIGHT ONTFIE DISPUTE FEDERATION SECRETARY MaKES INQUIRIES. Letters exchanged by the manager of the Wellington Waterside Employment Association (Mr. W. H. G. Bennett) and the secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Federation (Mr. .1. Roberts) were made available for publication yesterday. They throw some additional light ttpoH th* dispute. The secretary of tho federation wrote to Mr. Bennett on February 23 as follows: — "Dear Sir,—(a reply to your telegrams of the 10th and 16th inst., in connection with the present trbl/Ke on ths- waterfront, I beg to inform yiifi that T hav» made exhaustive inquiries concerning the breaches of agreement which you have stated, and I find that • "(1) The go-slow policy was not put into operation in any port of the Dominion; (2) that the men did not act in concert in declining to work overtime; nhri (3) that the provisions of tne preference clause have been adhered to by the Picton Waterside Workers’ Union. "I may say that most of these inquiries have been made either by myself or Mr. Glover, the president of the federation, and we are convinced that in all instances the waterside workers have acted strictly in accordance with the terms of the industrial agreement. “I have to point out, however, that the employers have for some reason or other ignored clause 45 of the Industrial Agreement and declared a lock-out on the waterfronts without referring the dispute to the Local Dispu’es Committee, and if necessary, to the .National Committee, as has been the custom for a number of years past. Had this been done, under the terms of clause 45 of the agreement, "before the employers decided on the drastic action they have taken, my executive are cf tho opinion that the present dispute r.n the waterfront would have been avoided. "I would point, out also that for the past five years the constitutional method In accordance with the .agreement has been followed by the Waterside Workers’ Federation and the shipowners, with the result that there has been no serious

stoppage of work on the waterfronts of New Zealand. In this instance, however, the employers of waterfront labour have seen fit to tie i p <he shipping industry through r. dispute v hich. in our opinion, could have been amicably adjusted by 'following constitutional method in accordance with clause 45 of

the Industrial Asreem»nt.—Yours faithfully, (signed) Ins. Roberts, Secretary.” the Employers’ Reply. The manager of the Waterside Employment Association forwarded the following reply yesterday to the secretary ot the federation: — "Dear Sir,—l hare to acknowledge receipt of your letter of February 23, and note you state that after exhaustive inquiries have been made by yourself and Mr. Glover you find that,the 'go-slow' policy has not been in operation in any port’in the Dominion, that the workers have not been acting in concert in declining to work overtime, and that the provisions of the preference clause have been adhered to by the Picton waterside workers. . ~ , "Tn reply, I have to inform you that the employers regret that they are unable to accept" your statement, as they t nre quite satisfied that the complaints contnined in my letters of February 10 and 16 are absolutely correct, and emphatically so in regard to the men acting concert in refusing to work overtime. "Also, you are in error in stating that the employers have ignored clause 45. "At Auckland the matter of men refusing to work overtime was brought before the local committee on February 7 when the union’s representatives, while not denying the fact, maintained during discussion that it was not through any instruction issued by the executive oi the union, but that it was due to the members’ individual action, over which the union had. no control. , , , "The same question was brought before the Wellington Disputes Committee on February 10 bv myself, and at their reauest the meeting was adjourned to enable them to collect the information. Sinco that date I have heard nothing from your representatives until to-day, when I received a request from the secretary of the Wellington Union to convene a meeting of the Local Disputes Committee to consider the position that has arisen.

"This is, I think, sufficient answer to your remark that in your opinion the trouble could have been amicably adjusted by following the constitutional metnods as laid down by the agreement, seeing that the employers have strictly complied with the procedure laid down m clause 45, inasmuch as they have tnea at both Auckland and Wellington to have the matter dealt with r.y the Local Disputes Committee, the only result, ing that the unions at both ports de '- .' efl to accept responsibility of dealing with th "In consequence of the attitude adopt efl bv the unions, the interests of the general public, a-.rt altogether from those of "’“n perative obligation is latter to effect a remedy toh e. . <> state of affairs.—Tours tr.ithtuliy o eu) W. H. G. Bennett, managei. OVERTIME WORKED AT LYTTELTON By Telegrapliw-Press Association. Christchurch, Tebruaiy -a. The Lyttelton watersiders worked oieitime Ao-night in all cases. “ AT STAGNATION POINT ” NO DEVELOPMENTS AT DUNEDIN. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, February 25. There were no new developments on the Dunedin waterfront to-<la> • ‘ ntatters seemed to have reached. s.agiation point. The only vessel being voiked is the Sealda, which is loading b last The accumulation of cargo from overseas vessels recently handled is now being cleared from the Harbour Boaid sheds, which are rapidly becoming empty. This is the first occasion lor many years that there has been so little cargo stored in the sheds. The Kotare arrives! this rooming with a full cargo of timber from Wnikawn. but will be held up in the meantime pending some satisfactory arrangement being come "Jo between employer and employee. It is roughly estimated that about 30(1 waterside workers are idle and four steamers are laid up at the wharves, the list of unemployed men being gradually added to. It is stated that tho men, aS a whole, are taking strong exception to the action of the employers and owners in laying up the ships with cargo under the liatcnes. The min pointed our that tjie owners 'had every right to discharge these ships before laying them up, as by leaving the cargo on board the owners were imposing a hardship on merchants and the public generally. Both the Tarawera and Kalapoi are carrying cargo which is urgently needed by several firms, and unle-s a portion of the Tarawera’s cargo is landed within the next' week one firm will be compelled to reduce its staff of workmen, as Hie supply of material has been exhausted and nothing more can be done until consignments are landed from the vessel. It is estimated that* the tonnage idle at. Dunedin just now is 5759 tons. No steps have yet been taken to pay off the crews of the Tarawera or Kaiapoi. UNION COMPANY’S STEAMERS HELD UP Sydney, February 25. In consequence of the dispute between the shipowners and the waterside workers in New Zealand the Union Company steamers arc- held up. The Tofua’s crew has been paid off, and no steamers will leave for Auckland next week.—Press Assn. TOFU A TO BE PAID OFF. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, February 25. As the outcome of the waterside trouble the Tofua will lie paid off in the morning, involving the discharge of about 100 hands.