THE ARAPUNI STRIKE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVIII, Issue 10943, 15 June 1927, Page 6

THE ARAPUNI STRIKE

A MOST UNUSUAL CASE. SUM OF ONLY 4/9 INVOLVED. HAMILTON, June 14. The whole sum involved in the Arapunii strike is 4s 9d and the dispute arose over a most unusual and trivial point, and that may never arise again. It was over an emergency call to a man to attend to the pumps at night. The men, according to a high official of the company, adopted a most unusual, certainly an ill-cor.isidered, procedure. Instead of negotiating, they deserted the pumps, which had to be manned by the engineering staff. The men, according to their agreement, had no right to strike without instructions from the headquarters of the union in Wellington. Wellington, however, knew nothing of the matter. Mr Handman, agent for Whitworth, Armstrong, states that the company are prepared to negotiate immediately the men return to work. To the company, however, the matter is one of principle as they feel they must have some assurance that these important works, which are of national importance, should not be seriously! impeded bv trivial grievances such as this. Mr Williams, District Organiser for the General Labourers' Union, arrived at Arapuni this morning. It is rumoured that about 75 per cent, of the men are anxious to return to work and that the strike, which is not at all popular, has been engineered largely by one man of the agitator type.