WATERSIDE DISPUTE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 28 November 1927, Page 5

WATERSIDE DISPUTE

THE SEAMEN’S ATTITUDE? STOP-WORK MEETINGS TO-MORROW. OWNERS’ ULTIMATUM EXPIRES ON WEDNESDAY, [By Cable — Press Assn. — Copyright,] (Received 28, 10.55 a.m.) Melbourne, Nov, 28. There is every indication that the waterside dispute, unless agreement is reached before Wednesday next, when the owners’ ultimatum expires, will develop into something approaching the 1917 dispute, particularly if the shipowners resort to the establishment of a free labour bureau. A great deal depends on the attitude of the seamen. The latter are holding their monthly stop-work meetings at all ports on Tuesday, at which it will be decided what attitude to adopt. FRESH TROUBLE AT BRISBANE. EXTRA PAY DEMANDED. (Received 28, 10.55 a.m.) Brisbane, Nov. 28. The overtime strike is seriously delaying the departure of all shipping. A fresh dispute has arisen at the watersiders refusing to work a cargo of cement on the steamer Tairoa unless paid an extra shilling an hour. The agents for the steamer are referring the dispute to the Board of Trade. SHIPOWNERS’ TERSIS. CONSIDER ED IMPOSSIBLE. Melbourne, Nov. 27. Aftei reading the shipowners’ statement, the management committee of the Waterside Workers' Federation carried a motion that the terms for the normal resumption of work, as required by the shipowners, were impossible. The committee accepted the threat of the employers to create a lock-out of all shipping, and advised its branches to carry out its instructions without fail. In a letter to the shipowners, however, the federation state that it is still willing to confer with a view to drafting an agreement covering every phase of the industry. The watersiders' reply to the shipowners, after stating the terms on which they are prepared to negotiate. adds: “Subject to these conditions being observed, we are prepared to enforce compliance witli the agreement, but this committee is not preparer] to enforce what is obviously an obsolete and inefficient award.”