UNION UNLIKELY TO GIVE IN

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5292, 3 January 1947, Page 5

UNION UNLIKELY TO GIVE IN

(Press Assn.-

WATERPRONT DISPUIE - NO ACTION BEFORE NEXT MONDAY

— By T elegraph — Copyriglnt.)

' AUCKLAND, Last Night. -It is most unlikely that the Ncw Zealand Waterside Worker Union willtake any action 'bcYore next Monday to compiy with the Government's ultimatum that the authority and orders of the Waterfront Industry Commission will be suspended on that day if the watersiders have not resumed norma! hcurs of work. • . That is the opinion, expressed to-day, of Mr. H. Barnes, national prrsident of the union. Officials of thc Auckland union cpnsider that the Government will implement its threafc on Monday, and that the Minister of Labour, Mr. McLagan, will issue orders to regulate rates of pay, houto and conditions of work. There «has a r. yet been no1 indication what .they are likely to be. . : # Mr. Baraes- commented upon the statement issued on Tuesday on bcbalf of the national executive of tho Federation of Labour by the secretary, Mr. K. McL. Baxter, who contradicted Mr. Barnes' earlier account ,of the negotiations between thc union and the federation. * Mr. Baxter said that ,no guarantees, joint formulae or memoranda had been agreed upon. The executive oi the federatio-n was surprised at the audacity of Mr. Barnes in suggesting that any such guarantee was given. "I have a factual account of the negotiations whieh > have taken place,. whieh I :have no need to, change," said Mr. Barnes, in reply. t^' Mr Baxter's statement. "Before presuming to speak on behalf of the trade union movement of New. Zealand, the national executive should call a meeting of the nation« * ai council of the 'federation to explain its somersault." Confirmation of Mr. Barnes' account of the confdrences was given to-day by Mr. A. Drennan, vicepresident of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union, and presideht of the Auckland Trades Council, the largest of the trades councils in tho Dominion. He attended all the meetings in Wellington between the national executive of the federation and the leaders of the waterside workers. "In the general facts given," said Mr. Drennata, "Mr. Barnes' statement was a correct review of the negotiations, as I appreciated them myself. "While there were no minuted rlecisions, there was acquiescance between the national executive Of the federation and the national executive of the Waterside Workers' Union on all the points mentioned h\ Mr. Barnes. "If the national executive of the Jederation had any ohjections to the matters raised at the confer*jfices, thc members should have objected. But there were no dissentients amCng them." Mr. Drennan added that there appeared to be general agreement on. ' the fact that if the watersiders' claims were not satisfied hy January 14, the federation would support any action whieh the union then decided to take. Mr. W. Ashton, secretary of tlje Auckland Trades Council, stated today that no reply had been received to the telegram whieh the council sent to the national executive of the Federation of Labour last Monday, calling for an immediate meeting of the national council of the federation. Waterside workers in Auckland .resumed ordinary time work to-day after a holiday yesterday. Discussions were held to-day between representatives of the Transport W orkers' Federation and the •N.Z. Waterside • Workers' Union* and it is understood these ended satisfactorily from Jthe union's viewpoint. No statenient was issued. The 'National Secretary of the Union, Mr. T. Hill, left to-night for Lyttelton where he will address a stop-work meeting. There will also he a stop-work meeting to-morrow. Meetings in the immediate future are scheduled fox; other ports. There is no indication yet that the watersiders will return to norma! working houf s on Monday as reqiuired hy the terms of the Frinxe Mixxister's ultimatum. i :