The Patea Strike.

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 6, 20 February 1911, Page 8

The Patea Strike.

Dear Editor, —Upon my return to this town from shearing 1 find that, while away, there has been formed a Waterside Workers' Union, the members of which are now out on strike. Upon making further inquiries I find that nothing of any note has been contributed to "The Maoriland Worker." Although the news is rather belated, T will do my best to give yon as much as T can find out up-to-date.

On November 18, 1910, there was formed in Patea, through the instrumentality of Mr George Smith, who has been working along the waterfront for some years, a Union styled the Patea Waterside Workers' Industrial Union of Workers, the following gentlemen being elected office-bearers for the ensuing twelve months :—President, F. Elliott; vice-president, W. Parker ; secretary and treasurer, George Smith, with a committee of two others who comprised the executive, who immediately got to work and framed a schedule of the Union's demands, which were submitted to the employers about December 2, asking that a conference be held with a view of effecting an industrial agreement between employers and employees in the Patea Borough Council Chamber on December 19. The gentlemen representing tho employers were: For the Patea S.S. Co., Mr W. Bennett; for the Aorera S.S. Co., Mr E. C. Homer ; for the Harbour Board, Messrs Christainsen and M'Kenna ; for the local Union, F. Elliott (president) and George Smith (secretary). The Union received notification that they had been registered on December 17. and on December 19, at 10 a.m., the conference met, the proceedings opening with the Mayor, Mr Christainsen, being voted to the chair. Mr Smith, for the Union, got straight to work by reading over the list of the men's demands, and then suggested that eacli clause be taken and dealt with separately.

Clause I.—-Working , hours, S a.m. to o p.m. ; all other time shall be treated as overtime, this being agreed to by all parties.

Clause ll.—The following- to be the minimum rates of pay for all classes of work: —

Ordinary time Is 6d per hour and overtime 2s 6d. (Hitherto the men had been receiving Is 6d and 2s respectively.) This clause seems to be the sticker. After considerable discussion Mr Bennett, for the Patea S.S. Co., mentioned that he had received instructions not fro concede this point. Mr ■Smith, for the Union, hereupon complained that the employers' letters to the Union said that their representatives had full power to act. If, as stated, their hands were tied, it was very little use trying to go any further. The Union representatives threatened to withdraw, and proceeded to do so, ■when, at the request of Mr Bennett, they were persuaded to remain and go through the other clause* in their order.

Clause lll.—Men ordered down to work and attending between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to receive not less than one hour's payment at overtime rates. Agreed to without discussion.

Clause IV.—When men are engaged Ut ship's side for any work between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. they shall receive not less than one hour's payment. Agreed to.

Clause V.—For the handling of live stock or any kind of cargo on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Anniversary Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, King's .Birthday, Labour Day, Boxing; Day and Sundays, 3s per hour between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and 4s between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. (The men had. previously been receiving 2s per hour right through.) The employers offered 2s 6d and ;?s 6d, which the men refused.

Clause Vl.—Meal Hours. —Men shall be deemed to have had meals'—breakfast 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., dinner 12 till 1 and tea 5 to 6. No worker shall be required to work for a longer period than five consecutive hours without a break for a meal, except in case of emergency or urgency, when fifteen minutes must be allowed for crib, ship to provide crib, and crib not to constitute a meal. This clause was agreed to.

Clause Vll.—Work during Meal Hours. —- When any man is required to work during a, meal hour he to receive pay a.t the 'rate, of 2s 9d per hour tfor the period he is so employed. Men shall receive a full ho\ir for their meals when they require it. The employers in this case agreed to the clause, but would only give 2s. This the men refused.

Clause Vlll.—Size of Coal Baskets. —Coal baskets shall not exceed five to the ton. As this is usual size and in use here, this clause waa agreed to.

Clause IX.—Number of Men in Gangs.— When working coal there shall not be less than four men in a gang, and a man shall attend the hatch for any kind of cargo. This clause was not agreed to. The Union_ accepted the clause to read:—Four men in a gang when available. The companies fighting hard against putting a man to attend the hatch.

Clause X.—Work Outside the Heads.—Men carried away to work to receive 10s per day in addition to the rates for tie work done, i.e., ordinary time, overtime, or holiday rates. If leaving before noon to receive a w3oole clay, if afternoon to receive half a day. Men to be provided with fares, meals and sleepina accommodation, and to be paid until returned to Patea. The Union accepted a minimum of 12s a day, all over that to be paid for at the rates. It appears that Union ask 10s per day and the owners gave 12s, but the men claim that as they on'y do this class of work about once in twelve months, and sometimes not then, it is of no benefit to them; but looks well on paper as showing- the generosity of the employers.

Clause Xl.—ißeach or Salvage Work.— When men are ordered down to work to receive one hour as walking or travelling allowance, with a minimum payment of one hour; men ordered on board ship to receive uot less than one and a half hours. Eiach side of high water or low water when ships d,re out in deep water, which prevents men from landing in safety, the rate of pay to be 2s 6d per hour for all salvage work, i.e., ordinary time or overtime. If carried away to receive 10s per day until returned. The employers concede 2s 6d for walking, with a minimum of one hour, and gave 12s if carried away. The Union conceded two hours for a side, that is, one hour each side of high or low water. The. employers only offering Is 6d per hour when taking cargo out of ship for lightering purposes; hitherto the rates have been 2s per hour all round, the work being heavy and wet, the men's complaint being that when ordered on board at low water they receive no payment until tide time, so that for twelve hours on board ship, surrounded by water and unable to get ashore, they only receive the hour's work, averaging about one and a half hours or 3s for twelve hours. As the Harbour works are greatly improving the entrance, the chances of vessels going ashore are getting much less, this c'ass of work is, and will, become nil.

Clause Xll.—Weights of Slings on Truckloads.—ln loading or unloading cargo a truck-load for two men shall, as near as practicable, not exceed 6cwt, except in the case of a single package, which shall be above that weight when sufficient as are required for its safe handling are to be put around. This clause was not agreed to, the employers fighting hard against it and offering Bcwt instead of 6cwt. The men's complaint is that they have to climb a ramp with a grade of 1 in 7, the ramp being 14ft long. The officers trading to this port beina: anxious to break records and curry favoiir with their employers by handlingcargo in as little time as possible, have been increasing the size of slings till the men rebelled, as much as 12 to 14cwt being made up. the men staggering and groaning under this load, unable to climb the ramp and afraid of an accident if allowed to run back.

Clause Xlll.—Half-holiday on Saturday from 12 noon.—This clause the employers are fighting aa-ainst for all they are worth. The men, on the other hand, complain that ships are rushed away from Wellington, where they have the Saturday half-ho]iday, so as to be in Patea, the result being that almost -every Saturday the men are workin? till late on Saturday ni<?ht, the ship rushed away to sea so as to be trawling and earning dividends for the employers, the sailors thereby ever hardly having a day of rest.

Claxise XlV.—Preference to Unionist. — Same as Clause 16 "Wellington Wharf Labourers' award made by the Arbitration Court. This the employers fought hard asrainst; they likewise remain firm.

As T said, the Union was registered on December 17, the conference held an December 19, and on December 20. at 10 a.m.. the men ceased work. So far very little has taken place. They set up a fairly strong picket, who succeeded fah-ly well in holding off nonunion labour. At the present time the shipping companies are managing to get along in a sort of fashion with the aid of a few youths and a couple of old men. One strong Union man.Davie Rennie by name, has thrown over the bonds of Unionism and come ashore blacklegging. being induced, no doubt, by the prospects of a good job ashore and a decent wage. The employers, following the usual practice, invoked the aid of the police at the early stages of the strike, but the men proved so orderly that the police declined to interfere. After the men had been on strike three weeks, and seeing that they were likely to lose, they made an urgent appeal " for outside assistance, and I believe that the Union of "Wellington began to take a hand. Mr T. Smith, secretary of the Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union, came to Patea on January 12, and after consultation with the men succeeded in bringing about a second conference on January 13, which again proved abortive. Patea is a small shipping port whore only four boats trade, and the number of men employed about the wharves being about 18, the men s average earnings being about £1 17s a week. The drawback to this plafce is that in the winter very little is doing so that when men have held tr. the wharf all through the summer they are unable to get into other employment. Cheese is the most important item included in the exports, each crate being of an average of 1851b. which has to be stowed in tiers right up to the decks, two men a side or in the end. as the case may be. T*h e work is heavy and laborious. To date the men have now been on strike four weeks. While some have not earned one penny, others have done a. few days. How long this struggle is going to last is hard to tell. The men seem very determined not to return under the old conditions, and unless the Labour Councils and Federation of Waterside Workers wish to see this little Union go down they will certamlv have to take a very decided stand. Capital in this case has apparently made up its mind to* aquelch them, because at the second conference the men's demands were so modified as to be of very little benefit, and yet the employers would not come to terms unless the men gave way still further, which they refuse to do.