GRAIN STORE LABOURERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 41, 17 February 1910, Page 4

GRAIN STORE LABOURERS.

A CHEISTCHURCH STRIKE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTOHURCH, Wednesday,. A strike is reported to have ocenrred last evening ia Wood Brothers' grain shed. The employees declined to wort at the award rate of 1/ an hour, and demanded 9/ a day, which, they alleged was being paid to grain, store labourers in other sheds, who were members of the General Labourers' Union. Men have ■been got to fill the places of the malcontents. It is alleged that the secretary; ' of the Genera! Labourers' Union, refused to provide men unless 9/ was paid, or whilst the dispute was on. . .. According to aii authority on this class of labour, the trouble at" "Wood 1 Bros.'grain store has arisen out of 'the "recent case brought by the General Labourers* Union before the Conciliation Council. On that occasion the union agreed with the grain store 'employers that the rate of pay should be 1/ per hour, with the proviso that regular hands' should - receive a rise, seme to 9/ per day, and some to 10/ per day. As a result, some 40 or 50 men are getting this increased rate* The men employed at i Brown's and Wood's stores, claiming that they do tha same class of work, consequently feel somewhat 6ore. They were at one time under the general labourers 5 award, thinking they could do better for ■iteiaselves, they became members of tin Millers, Engine-drivers, and Mill En* ployees' Union, but when their case wjl before the Court they were .only able to obtain 1/ per hour.

Mr. E. Hansen, secretary of the Millers, Engine-drivers, and Mill Era , ployees' Union, states that two men be* longing to his union, and employed ai Messrs. Wood Bros.' store, had noi struck, and the men who had gone on strike did not belong to his union. Thej! were young, unmarried men, who, .na doubt, would have little difficulty in gei> ting employment. His union had had no trouble in the matter of raxes of pay fos casual labour in grain sheds.