NEW SCHEME FOR WATERFRONT

Southland Times, Issue 24228, 11 September 1940, Page 6

NEW SCHEME FOR WATERFRONT

START TO BE MADE AT AUCKLAND

EXTENSION TO OTHER DOMINION PORTS

(United Press Association)

AUCKLAND, September 20. The new waterfront control scheme will come into operation at Auckland next Thursday and, within a few weeks, at all other Dominion ports at which overseas vessels call.

This statement was made today by the chairman of the Waterfront Control Commission, Mr R. E. Price. Later the scheme will be extended to other vessels, the ultimate aim being to bring all port vessels and waterside workers within its scope. Mr J. Roberts, a member of the Waterfront Commission, arrived this morning and with Mr Price will address a stop-work meeting of waterside workers tomorrow morning to explain details of the scheme. Both return to Wellington tomorrow evening. Mr Price said today that one of the first actions of the commission was to remove some of the causes which had given rise to discontent among the men. Wage rates were adjusted to restore to the waterside workers the relative position they had held in comparison with other industrial workers in New Zealand for a long period before September 1937. “Incidentally, the relative position has again been lost by the recent pronouncement of the Arbitration Court and applications for adjustment have been made and will come up for adjustment soon,” said Mr Price. The next step which the commission took, he added, was to substitute for the hourly wage system, which discouraged speedier working by paying wages on a time basis, a method which would give the greatest reward to those who would contribute the best efforts. CO-OPERATIVE CONTRACTING The commission considered that the method by which this could be best achieved was that known as co-opera-tive contracting, and this method was accordingly adopted in a modified form and tried out in Wellington in June last on the Port Darwin, and subse-

quently extended to all other overseas vessels calling at Wellington. The result was instantly successful, as a result of the co-operation freely given by the majority of the men. There were, however, influences at work to discredit the commission and any scheme making for a change. However, the opposition was dwindling as more ships were being worked under the scheme and the advantages were becoming more apparent. The experience to date amply demonstrated that co-operation was worth encouraging and every opportunity would be afforded waterside workers in Auckland to demonstrate their ability to do the job equally as well as their fellow unionists in the south. The scheme had also been tried at Timaru, Picton and Bluff, and the speed in handling cargoes, together with the earning capacity of the men, showed increases of from 9 to 90 per cent. The South Island to date had shown the most gratifying results, but it was expected that men at certain North Island ports who were eager to work under the scheme would show equally good results.

The system referred to was inaugurated at Bluff on the last overseas vessel to load at the port about a fortnight ago. The increased monetary benefit to the waterside workers is not yet known as the payment, in addition to the hourly wages, has not yet been made. This payment is based on the contract price for the class of cargo handled after the deduction of the amount already paid. Captain A. Rathbone, wharf controller for Otago and Southland, who was in charge of the operations, said in an interview that although the system at present would apply only to overseas ships, it was hoped to bring all ships working the port within its scope by the end of the month. Work has begun on the new building on the wharf to house the staff working the bureau system of engaging labour, which will be instituted about the end of the month.