GOVERNMENT TO IN WHARF DISPU[?]

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5290, 31 December 1946, Page 5

GOVERNMENT TO IN WHARF DISPU[?]

(Press Assn.-

TIME LIMIT FIXEfl TRADE UNIONS INVrl TO ENTER DISCUSSIOl

—By Telegraph — CjjM

, WELLINGTON Jgj

The\ Prime I'raserX statg notwith^ta^jfl made siders" UniH

scltlement 7 dispute and tbfl Chairman of ( ommission ir.ents immedH hours of work* for consideratiol missioner of th^

pronouncement rega^^H gnaranteed wage, the nlH c xecutive of the unioim

continuing its policy stricting hours of work tma five-day 40-hour week. Mr. Fraser stated that the Government would therefore have no optioH bpt to suspend the powers and authbrities', of the Waterfront Industry Commission if normal hours oi work are not resumed on or ■ before Monday, January 6, 1947. This would mean the suspension of al! orders and decisions of the Waterfront Cc-ntrol Gommission and tho Waterfront Industry Commission, including the main order prescribing wages and conditions of employir ment, the abandonment of the coopcrative contracting system and the suspension of numerous other improvements in the working conditions ! granted to waterside workers. The staff of the, commission would continue in the meantime to operate the labour engagement bureau and thc..central pay offices, and would also continue to administer the granting of annual holidays to waterside workers under the Annual Holidays Ac':. The suspension order will not apply at any port or ports where the orders and decisions of the^eommis-. sion are observed and normal hours of work resumed. The Government would regret having to take the steps outlined above, continued Mr Fraser, as it was -of the opinion that commission coptrol on tho waterfront had been of considerable benefit to waterside workers throughout New Zealand and to the industry as a whole, but if commission- control was to be retained the commission's authority must be observed. All Trade Unions Involved Far from being nearer settlement, the national waterfront dispute has to-day involved the entire trade vnion movement in Auckland. All trade unions have been invited by the Auckland Trades Council to discuss the dispute. At the same time, a call from the Trades Council for an immediate meeting of the National Council of the Federation of Labour to consider the waterfront dispute and the national executive statement made yesterday indicated the possibility of dissension arising inside the federation. It seems doubtful whether the opinions expressed by the national executive of the Federation of Labour will be endorsed by the national council of the federation, and'it is important to note that the council is the authoritative body. The watersiderfi show no intention of relaxing their stand, and they remai'n firrn to-day in their. demands which form the basis of the dispute. FVospects Not Bright The union seems unlikely at present to aceept the request of the natio-nal executive of the Federation of Labour to return to norm:a\ 'nvirs oi' work and place the casq. in the hands of the federation. ./ F'urthermore, union leader^ appear not to subscribe to the view* of the . national executive of the federation that' the prospects of achieving a settlement of the dispute satisfactory to the watersiders are so bright that it would be f olly to the oppor-

tunities ayailable When asked | Federation'sstai tion,

l^on the ■ Bkposi^Bresi-^

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