SEAMEN'S DEMANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1916, Page 4

SEAMEN'S DEMANDS.

' TOR HIGHER WAGES. PROHIBITORY CONDITIONS SOUGHT. Aus Iralian-N.Z, Cable Association. Received Xov. 27, 10 p.m. Melbourne, Last Night. In view of the five years' agreement between the Federated Seamen's Union of Australasia and the Commonwealth Steamship Owners' Association and others nearing completion, the seamen's general secretary has written to the Owners' Association hoping that the cordial relations between the two will continue, and submitting terms for a further agreement. This provides for all-round increase*- as follows:—BoatMvain.s in over 4000-ton vessels, £lO "« to £14.10 a; boatswains in other vessels nnd lamp-trimmers, £lO os to £l2 10s; able neamen, £0 5s to £ll 10s; ordinary seamen, £7 5s to £7 10s; ordinary seamen under 18 years, £6 5s to £0 10s; donkeymen, £l2 Ss to £l2 10s; fireman-greaser, £ll 5s to £l4; greaser, £ll 5s to £l3; firemen, £ll 5a to £l2 10s; trimmers, £9 5s to £ll 10s per lunar month.

There is a number of other claims regarding overtime payment, the. number of bands carried, compensation, the crow's menu, and treatment generally.

The secretary of the Owners' Association comments that the claim for the payment by lunar instead of calendar month means <in -additional month's payment, while the special menu for the men involves the employment of extra cooks and attendants.

The ship-owners state the increase in wages demanded does not nearly cover the liability, as tho conditions sought to ho imposed in many eases are almost prohibitory. Already recently greatly increased wages and altered conditions were granted in regard to officers, whilst similar concessions were being itsked l>y engineers. One prominent manager declared that what tho employers at present are feeling is the ''ol o slow" policy, Apparently no remedy is forthcoming for this until the end of the war.