WORK AT PORTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20063, 9 October 1939, Page 8

WORK AT PORTS

MOBILE CIVIL FORCE

BRITISH PREPARATIONS UNION AGREEMENT TRANSFERS IF NEEDED (Klee. Ti‘l. (’.>l >.vri;;!il —United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 1.15 p.m! RUGBY. Oct. 9. To meet the needs of the country at ports in any circumstances arising out of the war the Transport Minister will have at his disposal a great mobile civilian force created as a result of an agreement reached between the Minister of Labour and the. national council of port labour employers and transport and general ’workers and associated unions. The scheme provides for the voluntary enrolment of dock labour willing to transfer to any port as the necessity may arise and where the number of registered dock-workers is inadequate. Lists of volunteers will be prepared at the unions’ port officer and normal arrangements for transferring the men will be made by tile local labour exchange machinery. Travelling Expenses Long-distance transfers will only take place where at least six days of work are expected. The Government provides free travelling expenses and arrangements have been made for subsistence allowances and guaranteed minimum earnings. Tlu scheme evolves from proposals made by the unions which state that the whole problem has been dealt with on an industrial basis by mutual arrangement and, while assuming the necessary labour force, avoids introducing a mass of temporary, unskilled men and retains work for the experienced docker. The unions appeal to the dockers to volunteer “in the ini forests, not only of the war, which are i vital.” but for the sake of their own I future and concludes by asking members to make a success of the . scheme, which preserves civilian liberties and enables the industry to carry on effectively under civilian con- ! ditions.