Merseyside dockers strike for special unloading rate

WoRk stopped for tro days on a Panamanian ship in the Huskisson dock, Liverpool, last week while dockers pressed for a special unloading rate.

After long and laborious negotiations by reluctant Transport and General Workers' Union officials they returned to work under an unsatisfactory settlement.

The men claimed the special rate under the 1960 piecework agreement.

When this was heralded on the Mersey-to the accompanyment of the usual ballyhoo from the local press—a leaflet in the dockers' pay packet stated that the new rates meant a considerable increase in wages.

Rate reduced

An examination of these rates, in comparison with the 1949 Piecework Tariffs, revealed that the rate for common worked commodities had not been increased at all. In fact, in some cases, they had been reduced.

The significant point about these rates, however, was that they were 'fixed' in relation to a normal cargo discharging operation.

No consideration was given to cargo carried in deep tanks —normally used for water ballast-which are situated in a nearly inaccessable position in the hold.

Fairer deal

The agreement dors, however, contain two clauses which, if operated in the spirit with which they were agreed, would aid the docker in obtaining a fairer deal when working in these aggravating conditions.

The truth of the matter is that the local Transport and General Workers' Union officials have only laughed and scorned dockers who have approached them in the past asking for the 'abnormal clauses' to be used

GREET THE NEWSLETTER (as they are in London and other piecework ports) to obtain compensation payments in lieu of retarded piecework earnings. Last week the men were involved in a dispute in the Huskisson dock over working a cargo of two-hundredweight bags of refined sugar stowed in deep tanks.

Conditions They claimed that under normal conditions and working with the piecework incentive, they could discharge 250 to 300 tons of sugar in an eight-hour day and earn up to f3 2s. a day.

Due to the abnormal conditions they were lucky if they could average 100 tons a day. This meant that if the special rate was not fixed, they would be going home with the basic f9 9s. a week, less stoppages.

When a TGWU docker complained to the union no attempt was made by any official to even visit the ship.

Disturbed This inactivity so disturbed the docker that he reported this to the district secretary, Mr. P. J. O'Hare.

The docker claims that he was told he could make his complaint in writing to the next regional committee-this meets every three months!

The men stopped work last Tuesday morning. As members of the 'Blue Union' were involved, Mr. Peter Kerrigan, an official of branch No. 5 National Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers approached the superintendent of the management and put forward the complaint.

He was told no discussion could take place until an approach was made on behalf of MEETING -Leeds March 22, 7.30 p.m. Leeds Art Gallery Speakers:

Banda-Newsletter Editor C. Slaughter Kerrigan (NASD) the men by the TGWU.

All dockers engaged on ship refused to go aboard Wednesday morning.

But after a mass meeting of the whole area, attended by 800 men, a resolution was unanimously accepted that those involved should resume work. A further deputation would be made to Mr. O'Hare.

O'Hare said he would take action and report back later in the day. By five o'clock, when the men finished work, they had heard nothing from him.

On Thursday tbey refused to go aboard again and within half an hour 1,500 dockers had streamed into the dock road to support them.

When approached by a NASD representative the management superintendent said there was no decision in relation to the Panamanian ship. The question of similar jobs would be taken up by a future piccework-committee.

The dockers learned that a committee had been called for later in the day and that the District Secretary would press for a 9.4 pence per ton man rate for the job.

In the afternoon the union accepted an increase of 50