THE WATERFRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26629, 27 November 1947, Page 4

THE WATERFRONT

MANY HOURS LOST REVIEW OF EARNINGS COMMISSION’S REPORT P.A. WELLINGTON, Nov. 26. The percentage of man-hours lost through disputes involving stoppages of work on the New Zealand waterfronts during the year ended March 31 last was 2.64, compared with an average of 0.51 for the preceding six years, states the annual report of the Waterfront Industry Commission, which"' was tabled in the House of Representatives this afternoon. “This substantial increase was caused by two major disputes," the report says. “The first dispute, involving a loss of about 29,000 man-hours, affected only the Port of Auckland, where the stoppage of work occurred because of priority being given by the commission to the discharge of cement on the vessel Herekino An additional loss of about 250,000 man-hours involving all ports was brought about through action being taken by the union to restrict work to a five-day 40-hour week as a protest against the decision of the chairman regarding guaranteed wage payments.” Drop in Wages A further drop in the average wage of the New Zealand waterside workers from £lO 6s 7d weekly for the year 1945-46 to £9 13s 5d for the year ended last March is shown in the report. This decrease is stated to be due to a reduction in the overtime worked. The total annual earnings of waterside workers, including profit distribution, was £569 at Auckland for a 50-hour week, £562 at Wellington for a 46hour week, £564 at Lyttelton for a 50hour week, and £529 at Dunedin for an average week of 49 hours. The figures for Auckland show that where 243 men received £IOO each 455 received from £SOO to £6OO and eight from £6OO to £7OO. At Wellington 352 watersiders received from £SOO to £6OO and six between £6OO and £7OO, while at Lyttelton 230 received over £SOO and a further two topped the £6OO mark. Ninety-two men who received between £SOO and £6OO were wage earners at Dunedin. Is Time Spent on Coast Overseas vessels which discharged and loaded on the New Zealand coast, the report stated, spent an average of 52 days on the coast during the year, compared with an average of 42 days in 1939. Overseas vessels which loaded only spent an average of 26 days on the coast last year, against an average of 7 days in 1939. The all-port average discharging rate for overseas vessels shows a reduction from 12.79 tons a gang an hour to 12.15 tons: “This rate is far from satisfactory and there is ample room for improvement," the report adds. “Apart from the efforts of the men there are other factors affecting the rate of discharge—congestion at wharf and railway sheds, and the change in the nature of the cargo from measurement to weight.”