LABOUR NEWSPAPER FUND

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 187, 4 May 1940, Page 8

LABOUR NEWSPAPER FUND

Non-Payment Of Levy By Waterside Workers UNION’S DISPUTE WITH BUREAU Full responsibility for its action in removing from the register the names of members who had failed to pay the levy of £1 to the Labour daily newspaper fund would be assumed by the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, which was prepared to tell the employers so in writing, said Mr. J. 0. Johnson, secretary of tiie branch, in a statement issued yesterday. A statement was also issued by Mr. W. 11. G. Bennett, manager of the M ellington Co-operative Waterside Uabour Employment Association, in which he said that 216 unionists who had not lifted their discs at the call for labour that morning would be treated as being absent till further notice. Any man who considered that he was available for engagement would be required to notify the Waterside Labour Bureau at once. . “Mr. Bennett came to me about a p.m. yesterday and pointed out that my letter to the manager of the Waterside Labour Bureau classed the nonpayers of the levy as unfinancial members and not as having been struck oit the register,” said Mr. Johnson, commenting on the statement made by Mr Bennett, which was published yesterday. “He then made the point that the award, though cancelled, was still operating, and that members had to be given preference. “I told Mr. Bennett that 1 would withdraw my letter and make the definite statement that the men had been struck off. He then said that he had been advised that the union was wrong in striking men off for non-payment ot the levy, mid that •there was a flit* ference between levies and contributions. Responsibility Accepted.

“We are assuming full responsibility for the position and are prepared to accept it and tell the employers so in writing. Why did not Mr. Bennett either make no statement for publication or give all the facts? I had no idea when I was speaking to him or writing to the bureau that he was going to quote what was said or written in statements handed to the Press. Mr. Johnson added that a meeting of the executive of the branch would be held next Tuesday, and at this meeting, as well as at the stop-work meeting on the following day, the position would be discussed. “We are prepared to do everything we can to facilitate smooth working,” he said. ‘Me are not out to cause trouble. Our object in taking the aetiou we have taken was to get the levy paid in accordance with previous decisions. This levy payment was approved by a huge majority at a stop-work meeting held 12 months ago, and it has been reaffirmed by majorities just as big on at least two occasions since. At the last stop-work meeting these men were told that they had till the end of April to pay the levy, and they agreed to pay. Again, at the annual meeting held on April 17, not more than 10 out of 1000 men voted against it.”

Mr. Bennett Replies.

When Mr. Johnson's statement was referred to him, Mr. Bennett said that he had written at 2 p.m. yesterday replying to Mr. Johnson’s letter to the manager of- the bureau. He had pointed out that the letter stated that the men named in the list for nonpayment of the levy were unfinancial members, and he had inferred from that that they were still members of the union, though unfinancial. Up til' theu he had received no answer to his letter. The question of the men being unfinancial was a domestic matter for the union to deal with. “Regarding Mr. Johnson’s statement that the union wants to do everything it can for smooth working, as already pointed out, the union delayed the work considerably yesterday by calling men off the jobs on which they were working after the hours of engagement had passed, and thus the employers were prevented from engaging fresh men to HU the vacancies and could only do so by means of transfers,” Mr. Bennett said. “In a number of cases the men refused to accept the transfers. Call For Labour. ’“At the call for labour this morning, 216 men had not lifted their discs. These were replaced by other discs and practically all of the second lot were taken up. The refusal of the men to lift their discs caused some delay in manning ships. At 9.50 it was agreed to call for non-union labour, this engagement to include the men who had not lifted their discs, thus giving preference to the union members concerned. Union officials spoke from the stands to these- men and toid them that they were free to accept engagement, but when the foremen called for labour the men as a body refused to accept engagement. The foremen then called for labour from the non-union stands, but though a number of men were present, they also refused to accept engagement on the ground that they would not act against the union men. “The employers have now decided to treat the men who refused to take their discs this morning as being absent till further notice, and a notice will be put up to that effect. 'This notice will also state that any num w.ho considers that he is now available for employment must notify the bureau at once. The union is to be informed of this.” Mr. Bennett added that the manning of ships today was practically normal and that late arirvals would probably be manned by transferring men from oilier ships finishing. There would probably be a shortage of labour tomorow if men still refused to come forward and notify the bureau that they were willing to accept engagement.