WATERSIDE WORKERS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10513, 30 December 1911, Page 5

WATERSIDE WORKERS

DEMAND FOR INCREASED WAGES. (By Telegraph — Press Association.) ■ '■;■:.'. ; > ; lJtofr:Nigih*..■: ..y ~' EOfevetti. members' of the Harbour' 'lTsmes .'Company, accompanied . by. fJaxJand,. secretary, "of the Water--'sfi3i&' Worlceris • met-some/of the; Dairectbrs"' or" thie "Company to-naght,: with- regard to the increaserd wages:.. •fabe men aire* cloiminlg. " Ms ohiairman oif the Cbinpaaiy, pointed .out uiat the men; were rtow working under an. award, and thley and tibe. Company were equality iMa/blo to penalties' for a breach of •that award. The men. had arked at' a day's notice for increases in wages involving'tihe Company in £llOO annually. Tne Directors were unable to hold a ful meeting of the Board, two member®, representing large interests in the Company, being absent from Wellington.' Tile Directors asked for the fourteen days' njotice provided for under thie award;, and were prepared to umdertabe tharfc any alteration in wages tbJat might be agreed) upon should date from January Ist. The # l>££et6rs, how'm&tij were-' 3et!ei ; minied not to givfe way at the point of the pistol l . If the mem created a .breach of the award and walked off _ the ships tjomoirnow:, the responsibility would be on thie 1 men and) not oni the Directors'. The increased wages demanded would mean 1 increased fares on the Company's boat©,-or the suspension of the Company's operations. Mr Farknd said that ittiless the ! Directors were prepared to increase the wages there was no use the men waiting any longer. Mr Fariiand and the men them walked out of the ■room.