STRIKE ENDED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 23, 7 November 1938, Page 5

STRIKE ENDED

WORK AT OTAHUHU TO-DAY. NEGOTIATIONS ARRANGED. MEN to meet government. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Nov. 6. The expectation that the 1600 men’ Who have been idle since Wednesday at Otahuhu railway workshops would resume work to-morrow was realised on Saturday afternoon, when the decision of a mass meeting of the men was announced. It was stated by the management that the men would return to work on Monday, unconditionally.

Among the men, however, it was understood that the resumption ot work was only on condition that the negotiations in the dispute should ho concluded within seven days. A„ statement was made at the meeting by Labour delegates from , -Wellington that these negotiations would he opened as early as possible on Monday morning. The negotiations will be between the Federation of Labour and the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and the Government. The decision to return to work was made by a large majority. The men began their meeting at about 11.30 a.m., and did not disperse until nearly 2 o’clock. The meeting was called as a result of the decision of the national executive of the Federation of Labour to enter into the dispute.

Representatives of the federation, the New Zealand Railways Tradesmen’s Association, and the Boilermakers’ Federation, arrived from Wellington by the Limited express. This delegation, comprising Messrs F. P. Walsh, of the national executive of the federation, E. Warner, of the Boilermakers’ Federation, L. Mcllvride, of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and IS. Ingram, of Hie Railway Tradesmen’s Association, attended the meeting of the men at Otahuhu. Their purpose was to advise the men to return to work under the conditions laid down by the .Minister for Railways (the Hon. I). G. Sullivan), who had given an assurance that immediately that was done negotiations would be opened. Other outside officials present were Messrs W. Cuthbert, T. Stanley, H. Campbell, and T. Anderson, representing the Auckland branch of the Federation of Labour. Mr C. R. Petrie, M.P., was present, but did not speak.