BANNED WATERSIDERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 293, 2 March 1928, Page 16

BANNED WATERSIDERS

UNION DEFENDS LIMITED QUOTA LESS WORK OFFERING The trouble which has developed on the Auckland waterfront through some hundreds of men being - excluded from membership of the Watersiders’ Union, while (it is alleged) others from outside occupations have been taken in, is not yet settled. The “seagulls,” as the non-unionists are known, are still endeavouring to reach a concrete basis of organisation whereby they can persuade the union to see their viewpoint. The wharfing officer of the union, Mr. O. Mcßrine, in advancing the union’s case, says that on slack days as many as 700 or 800 union men may be seen standing about the shed without employment, and there are members of the union who have not had employment for fully a fortnight. He did not hold out any hope of the quota of 1,310 being increased, as the tendency of modern mechanical improvements is to reduce greatly the amoumt of manual labour required about the wharves. Notable instances of this were the development of machinery for handling coal and the substitution of tanks for cases in the transport of motor spirit. Mr. McBrine said he believed that the progress of machinery in this respect is more than balancing the natural growth of the work of the port. On the other hand the men outside the union circle claim that to open the membership of the union would not result in a lowering of the standard for all, but would be followed by a natural adjustment, such is is found in other occupations, and that there would remain permanently in the union only so many as could make a reasonable living.