HOLIDAY KEPT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 86, 22 January 1942, Page 2

HOLIDAY KEPT

AUCKLAND DRIVERS’ PICNIC. STATEMENT BY EMPLOYERS. (P.A.) AUCKLAND. January 21. The insistence of the Auckland Drivers- Union in observing to-day as the members’ annual picnic was responsible for the majority of the city’s commercial transport services 'being suspended at short notice. For a brief period in the morning drivers employed by a few carrying firms were on duty, but after being approached by representatives of the Union they returned their vehicles to the depots and ceased work.

The choice of the picnic day, which is provided under the award, is ordinarily a matter for agreement between the employers and the Union, but on this occasion the employers were not consulted. When advised on Tuesday morning of the Union’s intention, the executive of the Auckland Master Carriers’ Association considered the position and announced that it could not recognise Wednesday as the annual picnic holiday. The question of the payment of wages and the rates payable wore also in dispute. The Union secretary (Mr L. G. Matthews) and the employers hold divergent views. The position was further discussed by the employers’ executive to-day, and the following statement was issued by the secretary (Mr W. E. Anderson): “Notwithstanding the fact that the Drivers’ Union has not acted in accordance with the drivers’ award, seeking a mutual agreement with employers as to the day to he observed as the picnic day, and lias disorganised the carrying industry by declaring today a holiday at 24 hours’ notice without previous intimation to employers, the employers—in view of the conditions prevailing, and being anxious to avoid industrial strife, have decided to treat to-day as the picnic day. “Drivers who have taken or been allowed the holiday to-day should be paid their weekly wage without deduction for to-day,” continues the statement which is being sent to all members of the Association. “Drivers who have worked should be paid an extra day’s pay in addition to their weekly wage, such payment being in accordance with the Overtime and Holidays Suspension Order of December, 1941.”

The statement also advises the employers that the basis of payment should be made for the next week in respect of Anniversary Day. According to reports from several sources, it appeared that many drivers were either not informed of the union’s decision to observe to-dav as a holiday or were quite prepared to forego it and work as usual.

The president of Master Carriers’ Association (Mr J. H. Moon) stated that most of the men reported at the various garages in the morning, but they were told by representatives of the Union that they must not work. No carriers were servicing the wharves, said Captain Stnnich, the Waterfront Controller, but there were sufficient goods in the sheds to keep a skeleton waterside staff busy. There ■was a hold-up of about, an hour and ahalf at the Chelsea wharves.