BUTCHERS' DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 282, 27 November 1919, Page 5

BUTCHERS' DISPUTE.

' ■»-' ■ ■ I - A COMPLETE DEADLOCK. THE SECOND CONFERENCE ABORTIVE. EMPLOYEES STAND FIRM. THE COURT THE ONLY WAY. A complete deadlock was reached in regard to the Auckland butchers' dispute this afternoon, when the conference called between the masters and men at the request of the union, backed by the Prime Minister, was resumed. The masters intimated that they had decided that the only course was to insist on the matter being decided by tbe Arbitration Court, and. although discussion was proceeding at the time of writing, it was apparent that there would be no settlement. Mi*. T. Harle Giles presided, amd Mr. G. O. Knight, by mutual permission, was added to the master butchers' delegates. Mr. S. E. Wright, secretary nf the Auckland Employers' Association, on behalf of the master butchers, announced that in accordance with the understanding arrived at during the last conference a full meeting of the masters had been held the previous night. The whole of the butchers in the city were represented witli tbe exception of one or two in outlying places. In view of Mr. Sill's statement that the whole of the butchers were under the thumb or at tiie dictation of the two large companies, the small butchers were specially asked for their opinions. Tbe statement Unit they were under the thumb of the large companies raised a laugh. The meeting was absolutely unanimous, nnd not one voice was raised against tbe resolution passed. This was to the effect that the master butchers must uphold the Arbitration Court's award. They could not see their way to go .back on it in the slightest degree. Mr. Wright went on to say that on "Monday next a butchers' dispute would Ire heard in Wellington. That would be an original dispute, not merely an amendment, as in tbe case of Christchurch. Dunedin and Auckland. The Court would doubtless go into the whole circumstances of the trade, and would also have the Government Statistician's figures as to the full cost of living. When that award was made it would undoubtedly be the key award of New Zealand, and other centres would in due course be brought into line. If it were more than tr Auckland award it would be competen. .or the union to use their constitutional weapon nnd ask for the revision of their award. UNION'S ATTITUDE RESENTED. Proceeding, Mr. Wright made allusion to the workers' colnplaint as to the refusal of the butchers to meet them in conference. It was true that the Employers' Federation advocated that their members should meet the workers iv conference, and possibly had the union, instead of presenting their employers with an ultimatum to start with, asked for it conference they would probably have got it. Cut the union preferred to issue an ultimatum. In regard to these conferences he desired to say that the attitude of the union throughout had not been conducive to the employers meeting them in conference. The union, on every occasion before the Court and in the newspapers had done their level best to blacken the employers in tbe eyes of the public. They had not been satisfied with making a good ease for themselves. That sort of thing was not conducive to getting the employers to meet them in a friendly attitude. UNIONS REPLY. Asked by the Commissioner if lie had -anything to say in reply, Mr. Sill remarked that it was scarcely worth while in view of the attitude of the employers. The union could not help that attitude being taken up, and be supposed that they would have to go on. Mr. Wright had said that the behaviour of the union in the past was responsible for tbc attitude of the employers. Mr. Wright: I did not any that. Mr. Sill: Well, you wished to imply it. You feel a little bit sore, and you would like to tell the members of the union that if in the future you alter your bchavious things will -be different. I do not think there is any union in New Zealand that has acted as well as we have so far as the employers are concerned. I THE UNION MEETINGS. Mr. Sill went on to aver that during | the last three months it had been necessary to tell the public certain things the employers did not like, but nevertheless they were quite true. The employers themselves stood condemned because they had never met the union in the j right spirit. He repeated that the Master Butchers' Association was siniply a one man show. However, they had met the employers to see if t'ney had anything to offer, but the masters cvi- . dently thought that they were in a I fairly strong position and could afford to take up their present attitude. They I simply wanted to use their economic /rower to gain the victory, and even though they should gain it it would be j us expensive to them as to the Union. At n later stage Mr. G. F. Lane, the president of the Master Butchers' Association, made a statement in support of Air. Wright's remarks, in the course oi which he alleged that the Union itself . wits not governed by a majority. The i reliable and steady men would not go to the Union's meetings. : j This remark gave rise to heated expressions of resentment on the part of j the delegates, who interpreted it in a I personal sense, and the Commissioner re- : gretted that t-lie remark had been made. I Mr. Lane declared that it was not mii tended to apply to those present, but ■he went on to say that the steady men | would not attend beearuse of the "horsel play that took place at the Union meeti ings—the throwing of things about and so on. Tin- Union's representatives warmly replied that this allegation was not true. ; TBe president of the Master Butchers' Association (Mr. G. F. Lane) said that jit had been stated the Hawke's Bay 1 decision bad caused a lot of dissatisfac- ! tion amongst the workers. That was j not so, lis it was not known until a fortnight, after the men decided to I strike. He contended that the majority lof the men did not favour a strike. This was proved by so many of the A.M.C. I men having gone back. It was for the | Arbitration Court and not for the mer jto judge what was a fair living wage. j Alt*. Lane claimed that the employer were abiding by the Arbitration Court This meant that if the Court awarde £4 per week, they would have to pay i even if they could not afford it. Mr. Sill conttnded that even if £4 wa made the living wage it would not be ,-fair wage.

In reply to a query from the Coramisi sioner, Mr. Wright, for the employers, j (admitted tibalt in Ohrtetlchurch and 1 Dunedin first shopmen were getting 2/ | more, second shopmen 1/ more, and the j lowest Od more thn similar graded men in Auckland. The Commissioner saTTt that he was jvery disappointed that the employers J had not come to a decision. He thought j that when he saw the pronouncement; j that the Arbitration Court would be ! j taking into consideration the cost of j clothini, fuel. ai»l light in arriving at I ithe wages to be allowed, that it would! j have been possible for tbe. employers to ! (have come to the conference, and say I !in view of that that they would I ! make an oiler. Nothing had been done towards settling the strike. ; The master butchers were standing on j the decision of the ("ourt. and until the i Court altered it. that decision would j remain legal. As against that, however, I the men worked long hours—SO per j week. In addition they had to contend .with considerable wear and tear to their I ] clothes. I After a little more discussion things* |took on an exciting turn, Mr. Sill claimjing that the employers go to the Arbitra- j ition Court and contend that they are j I losing money, and it was not true. Mr. Wright objected to the statement, iiind the. Cominisr-iiouer appealed to Mr. ■Sill to withdraw tho statement. He refused, and repeated it, and finally, with tiie employers on their feet, withdrew I from tl.e conference. 1 A DELAYED DEPARTURE. A peep in the 1 shed alongside which the Tuluiie is berthed showed that the stacks of cased meat remained intact, !aud there was no semblance of a change iii tactics of the men. Meanwhile the steamer lies roped up, and it is cause for I .speculation —lier projected departure, j which from unofficial circles is now set j [down for 4 o'clock this afternoon. It is : ! understood that the cause of her delay has to do with the crew, an accounti of j which appears under another heading in i this issue.