At the Waterfront

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 32, 8 March 1912, Page 14

At the Waterfront

By NAUTILUS.

Tlio Transport Branch, IN Z.l''.L., is doing yeoman service ujidor I're-sideut J. Can- ami Secretary' Smith. Much of their time is taken up with waterside matters which couikf bo well attended to by the tvaters de secretaries displaying a little more energy, thus allowing the President and Secretary tinic to devote to (.lie wider ih'Ul of transport organisation.

The next step which, must ho taken is thr> appointment of a. transport organiser. It seoms pitiable in the extreme that the miners should have to bear the. brunt of all the organisation work in connection with our industry, and the sooner tho watersiders awake to their responsibilities in this matter the better. Our vision is, too narrow ; «c must broaden out or be ,swaii)|>ed by tho forces of reaction. A man should be continually on the move along the. coast, his whole time being devoted to educational propaganda.

With ono or two exceptions, notably "Wellington, waterside unijms have decidod to supply "Tho MaoHland Worker' , free of charge to members. Although Wellington has rais,efl its contributions 100 per cent., the proposal to supply a pape" free was not adapted. This is clearly a matter for education. Kvery.man lias a right to his union's paper supplied through his union, and h« should see that ho gets it I

Tho new agreement arrived at between the Dominion watersiders and tho shipowners is quietly . finding its level. Several pinpricks have occurred in most of the ports, but these have, hoe.n mostly d.ie to misunderstanding and, in part, to the cussediioss of foreiiien and local managersjlw.ho had no part in meting out thW wageTslaves' Hole at the late cr>iif<-re|ice. It is a ''strange, thing that the [parish pump manager can see no good in national conferences because he did not havo a linger in the making of tlitj pie. Nevertheless, the pie is pretty tjasty, and the lads arc taking to it well|.

1 Wellington Waterside Union is making a deterniinod effort to organise evcM'.v wage-worktir in the waterside industry in that port. 'J'hoj members recognise that, whilst there remains a iargo pe-rnianeut staff of workers unorganised, the position of the 1500 casuals is jeopardised should any industrial difficulty arise. The new rules provide for a Permanent Workers' Hiandi, having control owr its own internal affairs, but subject in all matters'of policy and finance to tho main body.

To be of any effect as a fighting force all waterside unions must do the same; and instead of antagonising the permanents, they should bo brought to a. sense of their class responsibility and become part and parcel of the One Hig Union. :

The "Wellington hulk-keepers, ferry men, and tugboat men are tlio first to link-up in this new Wellington branch, and it is estimated that 12 months should ,sco the whole industry organised.

Tho objective* of the new Wellington Waterside Workors' Unioru is interesting in view of the prevailing advanced thought in industrial circles: — (I) To protect the- interests of its mem bets.

(2) To place them in a position sufficiently strong to prevent any encroachment on their hours or conditions of labor.

(3) To obtain tho best possible advantages from the sale of their labor power, and by educational propaganda and organisation to ropl.ico the present wages sysfcom by tho collective ownership of tho necessities of life. .*" i *

Mr. J. Flowers, who was instrumental in mulcting; the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union in costs to the extent of £100 odd through being debarred from work on AVellingtou wharves, owing to his becoming unfinancial, is now in I'orirua lunatic asylum. During hia journey to the latter place he was relieved of a sjxchambored revolver, fully loaded. Prior to his incarceration ho could be frequently seen hanging around tlto local Union offices.

Nelson W.W.U. is evidently enamored of Mr. Atmoie, M.1 , ., their local member, wno succeeded Jock Graham in the House. They Jiave issued somo timely advice to him to vote for tho Dreadnought and axn family. Joe's nationalisation of the Para para iron scheme and Nelson's cjoso proximity to these extensive iron deposits perhaps accounts for their interested solicitude.

A new Union lias been formed at Picton, under the stylo and title of tlio Picton Waterside and Goneral Workers' Union. The rules sire framed on tho lines of the Union mlos. It is estimated- that within a short period there will be some 50.members on the books. Tho secretary of the W.W.W.U. is rendering tho uecossary technical assistance towards registration.

A good deal of difficulty has be-en experienced by the. Wellington Watorsido Workeis , Union in connection wibh the handling of cemonfc. From tho time— somo five years ago— Uvhon, a leading progressive spirit had the temority to rise in his place at a mooting and demand increased rates fori handling this olass of cargo to the present dust-proof W period is * long ory end much tribtiletibn his mn l the let hi. the worker ia tbo inWiou ■ i

The next net was the demand of the United N.Z. Watersidcrs for an improved dust-proof bag, and this a-ls« ha* been granted, and last act of all was tho ruling given, by Mio independent arbitrator called in by the [Wellington local committee whilst the s.S. Ilaupiri lay alongside tho wharf with a load of cement.

Captain Attwood, in giving a decision in favor of the men, slated'as follows:

After careful consideration of the question of men using hooks whilst discharging bags of cement an.l cargo of a similar nature, 1 have come to the conclusion that hooks (the pattern of which I ham! in with tliis report) may be used on lugs onl> —that is, when they can bo seen.

When the lugs aro colored, a grip (if the bug may bet taken round the bilge, or end, by using tlio book in a way that no perceptible hole will bo made, for the bag will lie in tho bend of tho hook, so that a good grip can bo made without damage.

On no account are the bays to b< v lifted by hooks on a vulnerable part, so as to cause damage. That is to say, by hooking the bag on the upper part, and having the whole. weight of jts contents on'the point bi tho hook.

If the man is seen to tiso a hook in the latter manner, so : as to cause damage, and the officer in c.hargo remonstrates with hiitij and he* still persists using the hook in an improper manner, the officer is to have power to, order tho man out of tho hold.

It is . impossible to estimate the number of times that a bag will stand refilling,'for this will depend on circumstances. When--receiving cargo tho officer in charge should note, on receipt, whether tho bags are in sulficiently good order or otherwise. All bags of cement and sacks of potmcal, containing small bags, should have four lugs attached. These would 'greatly facilitate discharge, and minimise ,' the risk of toapi-tiig. . If it is imiiosjuble to form lower lugs before iilling" the bags, they could easily be made after the. contents are hi by-allowing sufficient space iii tlio ba««-to stpp lower corners with ropo yarns or., twine. 1 consider-that the jVeight-of the bags should be 11:21b. ! each—2o to tho ton. ' ' (Signed) E. IV. ATTWOOD, Arbitrator. # * *

The Wanaka saw a whqlo shipload of men leave their places because of the inhumane conditions, bagfs being dumped in haphazard,, and men expected to dig them, out without thei aid of hooks. Tin's event cost the Union £10 and tho officials and men who vft-rp haled,.beforo the beak a good deal of' The next occasion cost the U.S.S. Co. a day's d<4ay for the same ship until the con cess io,u was granted.

A goad deal has been made of rhe fact that a. hook will destroy the paper lining in the bags, and so aggravate the dust nuisanco lomj complained of; but it is pretty safe to say that with handy hundredweight bags with two lugs there will bo little need to use the hook for any other purpose than pulling the lugs into position in order to get a grip of tho bag. The use of the lumper's hook in cargo-working must be retained at all costs.

It seems fair to assume that tho TJ.S.S. Co. and the cement owners will abide faithfully by the decision of an arbitrator of their own nomination and choice, ami so end a long-standing bone of contention. Men cannot afford to lightly throw away their right to use. their' only tool —tho hook—because without ihat implement a watersidcr would be in much the same position as a miner without a pick or a carpenter without a saw.