NO CHANGES IN WHARF DISPUTE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5296, 8 January 1947, Page 6

NO CHANGES IN WHARF DISPUTE

• Prnss A ssn -

MUCH UNION ACTMTY GO-SLOW POLICY IS NOT INDICATED

—By Telegravh —xJopyright.)

AUCKLAND, Last Night. Intense trade union activity developed in Auckland to-day in connection with the national waterfront dispute indicating the possibility of early developments. Delegates from a number of unions ccr-ferred with the executive of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand1 Watersider Workers' Union following a stopwork meeting of watersiders this moraing. The executive of the Auckland Trades Council will give further oonsideration to the dispute at a special meeting this afternoon, and a number of unions are expected to consider their attitude this week.

No change in the attitade of the watersiders has occurred as the result of the Government order last night su'spending the powers and thorities of the Waterfront Industry Commission from to-day. Stopwork meetings have been held at the principal ports throughout New Zeal to-day to consider the reaction of the men to the suspension order. Mr. Barnes Non-Committal At Auckland the meeting in the Port Building lasted nearly an hour. The men were adressed by Mr. H. Barnes, national presi'dent of the ' Waterside Workers' Union, and, while he would make no statement regarding the resolution which was passed, it is relia'bly understood that -it was decided unanimously that work would proceed in the meantime on the terms which have been in operation since the dispute started at the end of November — the men refusing overtime and working only a 40-hour week from Monday to Friday. Mr. Barnes would not indicate whether it w.as the intention of the union to retaliate to the Government's suspension of the Water - : front Industry Commission with go-slow tactics, but the, indicatious from watersiders -was that such a policy was not discussed at the meeting. It is thought that further union is unlikely in the meantime. Another stopwork meeting of Auckland watersiders will be held on Thursday morning, the date set for the ordinary monthly stopwork meeting.