DEADLOCK CONTINUES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1938, Page 5

DEADLOCK CONTINUES

HOLD=UP ON AUCKLAND WATERFRONT ABORTIVE MEETING HELD" ON SATURDAY. PATIENCE OF EMPLOYERS EXHAUSTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 6. The waterfront deadlock in Auckland continues, but the men will meet again tomorrow to consider the position further. A meeting was held on Saturday but no settlement resulted. In additon to the original vessels affected, the Waiana and Kaimiro, the Mataroa, which arrived from New Plymouth, was not worked. The dispute arose originally as the result of the refusal of members of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union to handle cargo in the Union Company’s ships Waiana and Kaimiro on Thursday unless claims concerning starting time and wages were settled. As a result work ceased on both vessels.

A local disputes committee meeting which was held following the first incident failed to reach any agreement on the matter, which originated on the Waiana and spread later to the Kaimiro.

“The position is unchanged and as soon as the men return to work and carry out the terms of their award their alleged grievances will be dealt with in a constitutional manner,” said Captain R. S. Lewis, chairman of the Stevedores’ Association, in an official statement.

“The employers are breaking no agreement, although they are simply not requisitioning for any labour until after the Waiana and Kaimiro are worked under the terms of the award,” he went on. “If it* is right for a union of workers to stop work as they please at certain jobs, contrary to the terms of their award, surely a union of employers also has the right to say what work is to be carried out and when. “The patience of the employers is now exhausted. Their costs for waterfront work connected with the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union in the last three years have increased by at least 75 to 85 per cent, and during that time the only working part in connection with the loading and discharging of ships which has remained stationary so far are efficiency is concerned are the wharves. Ships have improved, as also have wharf appliances in the matter of cranes. Shunting engines are better and the supervision of the staffs responsible for the loading and discharging of ships has been materially increased, which should not have been necessary if all the men were willing workers.

“Whatever may be the statement of union officials, employers know that when all the workers are competent and willing the operating of ships at the wharves can be carried out at a reasonable cost. The employers have previously stated and reaffirm that in their opinion a large percentage of the present members of the union are of the good old type and are prepared to give a good day’s work for a good day's pay,” he concluded.