WHARF STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 October 1920, Page 5

WHARF STRIKE.

WELLINGTON DEADLOCK. A SERIOUS OUILOOft , EIGHTEEN SHIPS IDLE. . mO TO 800 UNEMPLOYED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The waterfront deadlock has taken on ft really serious aspect, judging by a statement made to-day. The dispute which directly concerns the steamer Calm has dropped into the background, and a much bigger issue, namely, the right of employers to discriminate in the employment of labor, and their right to compel men to work any particular ship, has taken its place. The number of unemployed watersiders is increasing every hour, as the work on ships manned prior to the dispute was completed at noon to-day. It is estimated that 600 men are out of employment, and, indications are that a complete stoppage of work on the j wharves is to be expected. A statement concerning the Waterside Workers' Union's point of view was j made by the secretary (Mr. W. Bruce). On Tuesday morning, he said, a number of men were engaged to work the Calm Rain came on between 10 o'clock and 10.30, and, as .the cargo included a quantity of flour, the mate said: "We had better' put the on." The men stated that 'they had already decided by ballot not to work, but before they put the hatches on they were dasI missed by the foreman. Mr. Bruce ' quoted clause 41 of the agreement, which , says: "Should any question arise at any ship as to whether it is too wet to load or discharge, the decision as to knocking off shall be decided by a majority of the men loading or,discharging such vessel." That clause, he said, gives the men the right to say whether they should work or not. PRINCIPLE INVOLVED. The usual practice when a* ballot is taken is for the men to return to the waiting-room and remain there until ordered by the foreman to return to the ship (continued Mr. Bruce), In this case the men, under the agreement, had to be paid until 11 o'clock. The employers could have allowed the men to stand by in the waiting-room until 11 o'clock, by which time the weather had cleared up, and the men would have been ready to go back to work. Instead they were dismissed at once; they were not given an opportunity of turning to again at 11 o'clock. Another clause of vital importance to the union is 19b, stating that men working on a ship carrying oils, or men knocked off on account of rain, etc., and who have not "been employed for six hours continuously, exclusive of meal hours, are at liberty to seek other employment. That clause definitely released the men under the agreement. A call for men to work the Calm was made at 1 o'clock on Tuesday. It was a very bu9y day, and between 50 and 60 men only sought employment. The call was for men to unload the Calm. Some of the men who had been working the Calm lined up, but they had decided they 'would seek other employment if it was offered. The foreman of another company had informed one of the Calm men that no labor would be engaged until the Calm was fully manned. This was before any call had been made for a gang for the Calm. "We hold very strongly," said Mr. Bruce, "that the men have a right to please themselves what boat they will work. It is significant that in the case of another boat, the Port Alma, the men took a ballot; The same stevedoring company had charge of the operations, and in "that case the men were allowed to stand by and were paid up till 12 o'clock." EMPLOYERS BLAMED. "The reason why the men refuse to accept employment is because the employers have seen fit to issue an ultimatum to the. nature of which strong exception is taken," proceeded the secretary. "Under such circumstances we will not accept employment in the Calm. The employers are endeavoring to force the men against their will. The usual meeting of the executive of the union was held yesterday afternoon, and the dispute was discussed. It was decided to forward to the employers a strong protest against the lock-out, and an offer was also made that if labor was engaged under normal conditions the dispute could be referred to the Disputes Committee, whbse decision would ibe final." _ Mr. Bruce contended that the present dispute was one of the employers' making, but the employers had never requested a sitting of the Disputes Committee. "When the watersiders had been responsible'for a dispute they had always requested it should be referred to the Disputes Committee," he added. "The request had never been granted by the employers until the men resumed work. In many instances it was not an easy proposition to get men to resumo work before their dispute had been settled. This time the employers have made the dispute. If they open the port under normal conditions, and then set up a Disputes Committee, we will meet them." In reply to the statement made by Mr. Bruce, Mr. Bennett (manager of the Waterside Employment Association) said: "In the case of the Calm we give an emphatic denial to the assertion that the mate ordered the hatches to bo put on. The men certainly took a ballot under what the employers consider frivolous circumstances, and whilst admitting that the workers have the right, under clause 41, to takfc a ballot and cease work, the employer has every right to discharge them when they cease work, providing he pays them for the time set out in the agreement. DENIAL OF LOCK-OUT. "Mr. Bruce is also wrong in stating that it is the usual practice to keep men standing by in wet weather in the occurs. The practice is that when the men take a ballot they are discharged. Clause 19b certainly does release the workers, anij the employers have never questioned it. Mr. Bruce'a statement that the men had been informed before the 1 o'clock call that the Calm was to be made a preference ship is not correct. "Regarding the Port Alma men, these men were working frozen meat in the square of a hatch open to the weather, and any rain falling on them at the low temperature in which they were working make* it unsleasant for the