WORKING OF CARGO BY SEAMEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 60, 3 December 1937, Page 6

WORKING OF CARGO BY SEAMEN

-Press Aasociation.)

Clause Left in Watersiae Award COURrS DECISION

(Bj Telegraph-

j AUCKLAND, Last Night. The right of shipowners to emploj seamen in the working of cargo is rotained by th© Arbitration Court in tht New Zealand waterside workers' award, which it issued to-day. This dispute between the waterside workers and their employers was heard in Christchurch on Juna 14 of this year, when the parties were in complete agreement and the Cotrrt "was asked to make the agreement into an award. However, an objection was made. on behalf of the seamen on the grounds that clause 40 of the proposed award was in direct con« tradiction to clause 5s of the seamen '» award. .This hinged on the question u to whether seamen should be permitted to work cargo under the seamen 'a award, All work in conneetion with the handling of cargo may "be regarded ai part of a seaman's duty, whereas .the watersiders ' asked that, if members of their union were available, seamen should not be employecf in the loading or discharging of cargo. , ■. T The award, as now made by the Ccmrt, embodies, in the main, the com/ pjete recommendations of the partieS| but the Court has inserted a clause to meet the position of seamen. The award applies to all ports in New Zealand and to casual waterside workers who are members of the' New Zealand Waterside "Workers ' Unibn employed from day to day and from hour to hourf it being unlawful for an employer to Bmploy non-members of the unjon at any work specified in the award if members of the union are available and willing to undertake it. It is provided^ towever, that - shipowners who aro parties to this award are to he exempt from the provisions in respect of thf employment of. articled seamen, in ae» cordance with the custom previouely prevailing under clause 58 of ,th'e sea? men's award, made in February of thi(' year. In the eyent of any of the pro* "visions- of the waterside workers* award being in conflict with the pro* visions of clause 58 of .the seamen 'f award, the latter is to prevail. Another* provision inserted by th# Court is that this award' is not to apply to the permanent employees of the "Wel»" lington Hafbour Board, who aTe covered by the harbour board employees* award and for whom weekly Tates ar# prescribed. Certain recommendations te th# Court sought to empower the National Disputes Committee to amend th# , awaTd in regard to clauses dealing with the transfer of lahour and the estab» lishment of a bureau -system of engag. ing labour. These alteratious maynow be made only with the consent of th# Court. Tho award, so far as it xelates t# wages, is deemed to have come into force on Oetober 1, 1936, and in respect of all other conditions it operates from November 30, 1937. In effect, however, the award has been in operation sinc# Oetober 1, 1936, and its terms and conditions have been observed by th# parties since that time. The award ti* mains in force until June 30, 1938.