Page 7 Advertisements Column 3

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 73, 2 August 1912, Page 7

Wellington Waterside Workers' Union. EXTRACTS FROM Secretary's Annual Report November 7, 19X1, to June 30, 1912. MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW-MEMBERS,— In presenting this report for tlie period November 7th, 1911, at which date your Executive took office, till June 30th, 1912, I desire to give a brief resume of the several alterations which have taken place. Tito Union at the former date was working under an award of the Arbitration Court. The first attempt to clear ourselves from the institution proved abortive, owing to tho difficulty of obtaining the necessary majority, so many members having left the wharf to take up other employment. At the time this ballot was 'taken, the Waterside Workers of Timaru came out on strike for better conditions, with the result that the shipowners decided to confer with the New Zealand Federation of Labour at Dunedin with a view to making an agreement for the men involved; Lyttelton and Wost.port being also included. It being patent that a sectional agreement would be the outcome of such n conference, with the result t4iftt Wellington would have had to face a conference single-handed, and in all probability procure ar. inferior agree-; rncnfc with tho local managers, as your secretary, 1 accordingly waited on the Executive of the Federation, and was successful in advising them to avoid a settlement at Dunedin in order to arrange a National Conference at- Wellington, thus bringing the whole force of the larger unions to bear. I immediately wired the various Waterside Unions in New Zealand, and arranged the preliminary conference, at which improved claims were compiled. Tho result of the National Conference with the shipowners bears striking, comparison with previous awards, as the following scale, will show: — ARBITRATION versus FEDERATION. 1903. 1907. 1912. Judge Chapman. Judge. Sim. New Zealand Federation of Labour.- • Second Award. Third Award. Agreement. Hours. Hours. Hours. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. five days Same; no alteration by Court ... £ a.m. to 5 p.m. live days. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays Same: no alteration by Court ... Saturday half-holiday. Wages. Wages. Wages. Old. Time. Overtime. Ord. Time. Overtime. Old. Time Overtime. 10 p.m. Cargo ... 1,3 %- ... Same: no alteration by Court ... 1/5 2/2 2/3 Coal ... 1,4 2.1 ... Same; no alteration by Court „. 1/6 2/3 2/4 AY.H.B. ... 1/2 .1.10 ... Raised by AY.11.8 1/5 2/2 2/3 Coal-trimming 1.-6 / 2.-6 ... 1/6 2/6 ... 1/8 2/S 2/9 Home boats ... 1/4 2..1 ... 1/6 . 2/3 ».. 1/8 2/5 2/G Carrying ... 2/- 3/- ... 2/- 3/- M . 2/- 3/- 3/Freezer ... 1.6 2/6 ... Same; no alteration by Court ... 1/9 2/9 2/11 Coast work ... 10s. per day ... Same; no alteration by Court ... 12/- per day and other concessions. Slip work ... 1/3 2/- ... Same; no alteration by Court ... 1/4 2/1 2/2 AVork in stream Time paid one way... Same; no alteration by Court ... Timo paid both ways; full hour fot meals. Holidays. Holidays. Holidays. •Two at double time Three at double time ... ... m. Picnic day. Six ;it ordiuarv time ... Five at ordinary overtime. Two at double overtime. Six at ordinary overtime. Meal Hours. Meal Hours. Meal Hours. Six-hour limit between, meals: over- Same; no alteration by Court ... Five-hour limit. time for meal hours ... ... Tea hour, double time -... Dinner and tea-hours double time; breakfast when worked from 12 p.m. Engagement of Labour. Engagement of Labour. Engagement of Labour. Between 7.45 and 5 p.m... Extended to 7.30; 12 noon to 12.45... Regulated hours of engagement. Limitation of Engagement. Limitation of Engagement. Limitation of Engagement. One hour's pay «... Same; no alteration by Court ... 'p„ 0 ] 101 , rs ' ra y. Failure to Start Work. Failure to Start Work. Failure to Start Work. Gang to work short-handed Same; no alteration by Court -... One hour allowed to find substitute. Payment of Wages. Payment of Wages. Payment of Wages. Mutually agreed, upon ».. Same; no alteration by Court -... Ln< a l committee to adjust time ci pay. Weights for Trucking. Weights for Trucking. Weights for Trucking. 12 cwt. double truck; 5; cwt. single Same; no alteration by Court *.. ]._> c , vt . # double truck; oewt-. single truck truck; extra assistance given. No preference clause ... Preference granted to unionists, Open-door preference; no fees stated, and lengthy strike clause ... membership conditional on remaining financial. Entirely new Conditions. No mention of any of the adjoining Bunker-hatch decided to mean a new conditions m any previous J)lace sot apart for the stoi . aj , e . Court award of coal lor t]]o B i jip » s OWII eou . sumption. Cleaning holds paid at extra rates. Travelling time paid to slip workers, licgulatcd space provided for coal shovellers: 10ft. square, per gang. Wellington agreement to apply to coast workers. And many other minor advantages. CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION. Immediately wages and conditions had been settled, another decisive ballot was taken, and the Union freed fromtho Arbitration Act. The figures of that ballot afford striking testimony to tho opinion of Wellington AYatorsiders on that institution. The result was as follows•.— For cancellation, 1018; against cancellation, 88; informal, 7. This constituted a record vote against the system of arbitration after 15 years of tlio Union's experience thereof. REGISTRATION OF WELLINGTON WATERSIDE WORKERS' UNION. The next progressive step was the changing of the Union's name from tho Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union to tho Wellington. Waterside Workers' Union, and the registration of an entirely new Union by this title under .the Trades Union Act. This registration was effected on March 22nd, 1912, the cancellation, of the old V'niou's registration having taken effect- on the day previous, March 21st. All funds and property were tiansl'erred to the new Union; the rules- of tho Union were completely revised, and a set of by-laws added for its better government. These rules were issued in an improved book, with agreement complete, free of cost, to individual memhers. GENERAL. Your Cnion we.s represented by three delegates at the recent large conference of tlio New Zealand Federal ion of Labour, at which many matters vitally affecting working-class interests were dealt with. As an afliliated branch of tho Federation of Labour, and having thereby gained decided advantages for the workers in our industry, it should bo your aim to stand by this nnich-maligncd but powerful organisation as tho ono most likely to advance the portion of tho workers economically, and as tho one to which we have pledged our fealty. It is for Industrial Unionism and the working-class alone, and New Zealand can only really advance by endorsing its principles and policy.