SHIP BLACKLISTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 745, 19 August 1929, Page 1

SHIP BLACKLISTED

AUXILIARY SCHOONER HOKIANGA ACTION BY SEAMEN’S UNION The auxiliary schooner Hokianga has been declared “black,” and members of the Seamen’s Union are debarred from signing on the vessel. This state of affairs is the result of a dispute between the owner of the schooner, A. G. Frankham, Limited, and the union. This morning the watersiders, in sympathy with the seamen, refused to work the boat and from inquiries there appeared to be no signs of the dispute being settled. CREW of eight, including two able seamen and one ordinary seaman, is engaged on the Hokianga. The dispute has arisen owing to the fact that A. G. Frankham, Limited, is net a member of the Shipowners* Federation, and will not work the three seamen on the Hokianga on the terms of a mutual agreement made by the Shipowners’ Federation and the Seamen’s Union. As the Seamen’s Union is not registered under the Arbitration Act, A. G. Frankham, Limited, cannot be cited to abide by the agreement. Until recently, the seamen on board were members of the union and worked under the agreement conditions, a fact which was embodied in the schooner’s articles. But when the articles were renewed, A. G. Frankham, Limited, had the clause deleted and it was to this that the Seamen’s Union objected. In an endeavour to prevent a dispute, Mr. T. Anderson, secretary to the union, met Mr. A. G. Frankham and requested him to reinsert the clause. Mr. Frankham refused, and following this the three seamen con cerned gave notice and left the ship. The vessel, however, was loaded, and it was possible for her to sail for Hokianga with non-union seamen, including two master mariners who were available.

Interviewed this morning, Mr. Anderson said it was necessary for the Seamen’s Union to take action, as the Hokianga was a full-powered vessel similar to the Northern Company’s auxiliary schooner Hauturu, which is also on the Onehunga-Hokianga run. The crew of the Hauturu work under the agreement made with the Shipowners’ Federation, which allows for any overtime worked while at sea. According to Mr. Anderson, such is not intended to be done on the Hokianga, and he consequently felt that the union w*as most justified in making a complaint. Mr. A. G. Frankham treats the dispute very lightly and when interviewed this morning did not appear to look upon it as being very serious. “The dispute has been caused purely and simply through the action of the Seamen’s Union,’ he said. “As far as 1 men’s Union,’’ he said. “As far as I were a happy family and quite contented with the conditions under w r hich they were working. The watersiders have let us down, but that does not matter much, as there is plenty of free labour to work the boat. She is bound to sail on scheduled time.” He also stated that the Hokianga is working under the usual agreement existing on the auxiliary schooners Paroto, Pono, Torea and other vessels of the same class. According to Mr. Anderson such vessels as named by Mr. Frankham cannot be compared with the Hokianga, which is a full-powered ship, her sails being really the auxiliary and not the engines.