PACIFIC COAST STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 21744, 12 June 1934, Page 6

PACIFIC COAST STRIKE

MANY INTERESTS INVOLVED FEAR OF SPREAD TO ATLANTIC [Per United Press Association] AUCKLAND, June 11. . “ Most of the shipping on the Pacifio_ coast was tied up when we left,” said a passenger by the Aorangi on her arrival from Vancouver. “ The waterside workers at Pacific Coasjt ports in the United States are on strike in support of their demand that _ labour shall be _ supplied through their own organisations and not through company, unions, or the Government,” he continued. “The waterside workers are not the only people concerned now that the transport workers generally are involved, and besides the seamen there are masters, officers, and engineers. There is a growing fear that the strike will extend to the Atlantic coast. The latest information I had before I left was that shipowners on the Pacific coast had made a threat to suspend all operation for a month, and the reply of the men was to the effect that if that were done the longshoremen would hold up all Atlantic shipping arid bring about a general dislocation of trade. What the men want is to go back to the system of collective bargaining through their own unions. The Government made an offer to set up labour bureaux for the engagement of all waterside workers, hut, while the shipowners were silent on the proposal, the men refused to entertain it. In fact, they were as strongly opposed to that course of action as to the company unions set up by the employers.' 'Hie men consider that they have the whip hand at the present time, and they want full recognition.” Trouble has been reported from .any quarters where sympathetic strikes have been declared, _ and rioting has ' .ken place in some cities. The officers of the Aorangi said tho strike had not spread to Canadian ports, although at o time it had _ appeared that there was a danger of it doing so. However, .the Vancouver waterside workers had rejected the strike proposal at a special ballot.

It was mentioned that the system of engaging waterside labour in American roads was different from that followed in New Zealand. Shipping companies did not engage their own men, but let contracts to special stevedoring firms. This, according to one officer, might have had the effect of complicating matters. One effect of the strike was that the Aorangi brought an especially heavy cargo to Auckland. Owing to the uncertainty of the sailings of cargo steamers from American ports, a large amount of American cargo was diverted to Vancouver and placed on board the Aorangi. As a result, extra waterside workers had to be engaged to work the liner.