Feb 14, Wellington: A complete stoppage of work at all New Zealand ports looms as the result of a proposal by employers to suspend all waterside workers who refuse to work overtime.
The national executive of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union, after a special meeting this morning in Wellington, instructed all branches to work only a 40-hour week until a satisfactory settlement of wage negotiations is reached.
The New Zealand Port Employers' Association immediately called on the union to withdraw the ban.
The overtime ban went into effect at all major and secondary ports at 5pm today. Employers state that if watersiders continue this action tomorrow afternoon they will be dismissed and will not be eligible for work until Saturday morning.
Two branches - Wellington and New Plymouth - applied a ban on overtime on their own initiative last Friday and called on other branches to take similar action.
A special meeting of the National Executive of the union held in Wellington this morning decided to apply the ban on a national scale and at 2pm telegrams were sent to all branches advising them of this.
The executive met the employers at 2.30pm for final discussions but no agreement was reached.
As the workers' ban extends to weekend work, it is not expected that they will report for work again until Monday morning unless a settlement is reached in the meantime.
"Experience has proved that the shipping industry cannot possibly function efficiently on a 40-hour week," said the assistant general secretary of the New Zealand Port Employers' Association, Mr V. Blakeley.
"The action of the national executive and of the individual waterside workers is an attempt to force acceptance of demands by direct action. The employers cannot accept this position, and if the men refuse overtime they will be dismissed for this breach of the law and will be subject to automatic penalty of suspension from work for two days."
February 22, Christchurch: A state of national emergency was declared by the Government after a meeting of Cabinet yesterday had discussed the situation on the New Zealand waterfront. This was announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Holland, in a statement this evening.
"The Government proposes to take all the steps necessary to deal with the situation."
February 28, Wellington: Rapidly, cheerfully and skilfully adapting themselves to unaccustomed tasks, air force and army men today did their bit towards easing the critical food situation that has arisen through the waterside crisis.
They accomplished their tasks splendidly despite the lack of co-operation of ships' crews and shed and crane workers.
Shortly before 8am yesterday about 100 air force men from Ohakea moved on to Pipiea wharf without incident. The main wharf gates were patrolled by police officers, who kept a close watch on those entering and leaving.
March 1: A Gazette notice was issued yesterday cancelling the registration of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Industrial Union of Workers.
In announcing the deregistration of the union, the Minister of Labour, Mr Sullivan, said that this action had been taken as a result of the discontinuance of employment on the waterfront and the refusal of the waterside workers' representatives to allow their dispute to be handled in the constitutional manner.
"The way is now clear," said the Minister, "for the registration of new unions and I will be prepared to give favourable consideration to the registration of unions at the various ports when I am satisfied that the workers at those ports are prepared to conduct their affairs in a proper manner and faithfully carry out their conditions of employment."
June 2, Auckland: Police and demonstrators were injured in the most serious clash of the waterfront dispute which occurred in Queen Street near Myers Park shortly before midday yesterday.
A column of marching strikers and sympathisers carrying banners attempted to break through a police cordon and in the ensuing melee the police drew and used their batons in reply to attacks with sticks and bottles.
Within half an hour of the demonstrators, who numbered about 1000, leaving the corner of Wellesley Street and Queen Street they had been driven back down the hill by less than 100 policemen.
Many of the marchers quietly withdrew support when the police stood their ground.
Three watersiders were later charged in the Magistrate's Court with charges ranging from assault on, and resisting the police, to inciting to lawlessness.
June 8: An important step towards the restoration of normal conditions on the Otago waterfront was taken yesterday when, according to information received by the Daily Times, the members of the deregistered Port Chalmers Waterside Workers' Union decided to return to work.
The decision was made as the result of a secret ballot, and it is stated that the voting was 185 to 4 in favour of a return to work.
June 11: Between 170 and 180 Port Chalmers watersiders will report for work this morning.
There will be four gangs loading meat for the United Kingdom into the Durham at the George Street pier, and one gang discharging cargo.
The Runic - also at George Street - will occupy the attention of another four gangs.
A meeting of about 180 watersiders was held at Port Chalmers on Saturday morning for the purpose of forming a new union and completing formalities for its registration in Wellington. A new executive was also elected.
The position on the Dunedin waterfront is somewhat different. Even if the members of the deregistered union decided to go back to work, it would be almost impossible for them all to get jobs, as the new union in Dunedin has reached about 150 strong.