"WILL GO OUT FIGHTING"

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 225, 22 September 1932, Page 9

"WILL GO OUT FIGHTING"

SHEARING INDUSTRY UNION. FAILURE TO REACH AGREEMENT. OWNERS' OFFER CRITICISED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, this day. A special meeting of the agricultural and pastoral section of the OtagoSouthland branch of the New Zealand Workers' Union was held in the Trades Hall to discuss the position which lias arisen through the failure to arrive at an agreement to cover the shearing industry at the final conciliation council sitting. Mr. A. J. Cook, general secretary of the New Zealand Workers' Union, dealt with the negotiations at Gisborne, Wellington, Christchurch, Blenheim and Dunedin, stressing the point that although the employers had been prepared to advance their offer slightly to actual shearers they would not budge one penny to lower-paid workers, namely, shed hands and cooks. He declared that the wages offered to the-last-named were scandalous and urged all shearers to stand by these men until they were offered a living wage. Mr. Cook further said that if the union was to go out of existence for the time being owing to the Government's legislation, it was far better to go out putting up a fight and retaining the support of solid unionists than to remain in office with the assistance of weaklings. The following resolution was passed; "That this meeting endorses the action of the union in refusing to come to an agreement with sheep owners and accept the 'coolie' rates' of pay offered, and, further, that individually they stand out for last year's rates, which the sheep owners were well able to pay."