WATERSIDERS' WAGES

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 131, 29 November 1929, Page 4

WATERSIDERS' WAGES

INJUSTICE ALLEGED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

GKEYMOUTH, 2Sth November.

The conference of the New Zealand Wu-tersidors' Federation has concluded. The following resolutions were adopted:— (1) That this animal meeting of delegates of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation, representing six thousand waterside workers throughout New Zealand, enters a most emphatic protest against the unjust basic wage awarded waterside workers by Mr. Justice Blair while- acting as President of the Court of Arbitration. The wages data submitted to the Court by the federation and employers of waterside labour clearly indicated that workers engaged in this industry were entitled to a substantial increase, in wages, but it seems that the Judge and the employers' representative on the Court completely ignored the wages data submitted both by the employers' representative and by the workers' representative. The conference also protests against the action of Mr. Justice Blair and the employers' representative (Mr. Schmidt) in refusing to adopt the principle laid down by Mr. •Justice Frazer in 1924 when fixing wages for waterside workers. If this basis wero adopted the Court would have been compelled to award an increase in wages to the men engaged loading and discharging ships. It was only by violation, of the principle laid down in 1924 that the waterside Nyorkers wei-c robbed of an increase in Wages which they were entitled to receive. Further, the delegates-; after reading the memorandum of the- Judge in the Court of Arbitration in reference to-tho basis of fixing wages and particularly the ' wages of waterside workers, are unanimously of opinion that the trade union movement of this country cannot any longer have confidence in the Court of Arbitration. As justice has been .-.denied.', tho waterside workers by the Court, we call .upon thp Government to institute immediately a special inquiry to investigate the hours worked and wages earned by waterside workers throughout the Dominion in order that these workers- may obtain, the rates of pay of which: they, have been unjustly deprived by the Court.

(2) That this', conference, -after invdstigating - fully the wages data submitted by the;; Waterside Workers' Federation and the wages data submitted by the employers of waterside labour,' consider it their duty to inform the- waterside workers throughout New Zealand that they are entitled to a substantial increase in the basic wage and. that the refusal of the Court of Arbitration to grant this increase was a travesty, of justice. We are of opinion that the unjust award given by the Court will create discontent.in tho industry, for which the Court of Arbitration is solely responsible.