NAVAL SERVICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20077, 25 October 1939, Page 6

NAVAL SERVICE

AUCKLAND TRAWLERS MIXED CREWS ENGAGED UNIONISTS AND RATINGS Auckland steam trawlers which have been taken over by the Admiralty will be manned by crews composed of unionists and naval ratings. Although the ships will be, under naval discipline, with their complements performing the same type of duties, there will be a variance in the rates of pay awarded to the unionists and to the ratings, naval men and volunteer reservists. The union seamen, on the average, will receive considerably higher wages.

Three trawlers have been taken over for service. One already has been commissioned with a complete naval crew. In the case of the other vessels, whicn nave not yet been commissioned, crews with a large proportion of unionists have been signed on.

The engagement of union labour follows a promise by the Government that the men serving on the trawlers prior to the war would not lose employment when the ships were taken over. Actually, only about half the men have returned to the trawlers, the remainder voluntarily seeking other employment. The rate of wages was computed by the Government and the Marine Department after lengthy and involved negotiation. Difficulty in assessing a basis of regular pay was experienced because of the varying systems used in the trawlers in the past. Some of the men were on a direct wage with a bonus granted on baskets of fish, while others received a percentage of receipts from a catch. These and other grounds had to be considered before a fair rate could be awarded. The effect of the union wages is that unionists are receiving much higher pay than most of the naval men. If the rating is a married man with two or three children his pay is not a great deal less than that of a union man, but with a single rating there is a considerable difference in the rate.

The attitude taken by union labour is that the naval ratings-are receiving a steady wage and that their work is a career with hope- of advancement. Neither of these things, it is claimed is open to the union seamen..