THE BOOT STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 144, 19 June 1891, Page 4

THE BOOT STRIKE.

SUGGESTIONS FOR A SETTLEMENT

The efforts of Mr W. Leys to bring apouta conference between the bootmakers on strike and theruembers of the EootManufacturers' Association have so far failed. The men state that they indicated to the Employers' Association their wiUingnosa to discuss the whole question with the manufacturers in order to clear away, if possible, any difficulties that may be standing in the way of the latter accepting the federation statement. They think that the manufacturers should sign the statement, and at next annual conference try to gob redressed any jjrievancea they might have. They would be willing to assist ir. getting; any concessions on points where it could bo proved that the statement was injuring the Auckland trade.

If the only difficslcies in the way of the manufacturers doing as suggested above bo thos-e connected with the boy labour and the non-union labour, they think those difficulties could be easily overcome. Tho boys can moat of them be removed without injury to themselves or the masters. Unionists could not work with nonUnioiiists, but rather than protract the dispute unnecessarily, iho Union would admit the non-Unionists to membership on the payment of a small lino by the latter. The men think that if they talked over these matters with the manufacturers a basic of settlement would soon be arrived at.

The report that has been circulated that | a lai'£O number of them intend to sign the local statement) put forward by the manufacturers is absolutely denied. Tho members of tho Union, they say, are as firm as ever. The secretary states that last week the strike pay was increased to all, and those who had special needs were assisted specially. Advices have boen received from the South that money is cominp: in freely from the Southern Unions and from Australia, .so that orders have been given that there shall be a further increase in tho strike pay this week. Already nearly 100 of the best operatives have left Auckland, and one of the most prosperous ar.d successful industries of which our citycould boast has been paralysed. One traveller, who formerly took thousands of pounds worth of Southern orders for an Auckland boob factory is r.ow reversing the process and is busily engagad in our city taking orders for the .South, Surely it . would be prudent for the manufacturers to meet the men and see if some acceptable compromise cannot be arrived at by which the men on strike may resume work, pending reconsideration and amendment of the Federal Statement, as suggested above.