NO SETTLEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 302, 21 December 1935, Page 23

NO SETTLEMENT.

MILKMEN'S CLAIMS. CONCILIATION SITTING. OFFER MADE BY VENDORS No material progress was made at f sitting of the Conciliation Counci yesterday afternoon, when improvecent! in wages and conditions were sought bj the Auckland (25 miles radius) Milk roundsmen's Industrial Union o! Workers. The conciliation commissioner, Mr. P Hally, presided. The employers were represented by Messrs. J. M. Eecles (Ambury's, Ltd), I 'Massey (Takapuna Dairy Co., Ltd.), R B.'Stonex (Stonex Bros.), and Mr. C Camp, and the union by Messrs. J. Pur tell, L. Ellison and S. Downing/ The Union sought a six-day week restoration of the 10 per cent cut ir wages, and extension of the holiday period from 14 days to 21 days. Mr. Purtell said that at present they were sandwiched in between the counci and the vendors, and it looked as if the men would have to work seven days a week for the rest of their lives. Mr. Massey said it might be only a short time before the milk supply was municipalised. Union's Request. Mr. Hally said that the application by the union was in order, and the unioi asked that there should be certair improvements in the conditions of tht workers. So far no agreement had beer reached. He did not know that Mr Purtell'a claims were extraordinary although it might be usual to exaggerate claims a little. The Milk Council was Dot prepared to allow the price of mills to be increased, and the cost had to be borne by the vendors. Mr.' Purtell said that the unior wanted some immediate benefit, and il loped to get an amicable settlement "•itk.tpld the trade unionists that they eould not get the 10 per cent back probably they would not patronise the vendors. The talk of losing money was put over every time, and they had nc * a y of checking up on it. Mr* Massey said that some employers Were able to pass extra cost on, but H would be grossly unfair to go to ar ordinary industrialist and say that thej Dad .to restore the cut but could not pass it oil. Restricted Competition. Purtell said that if anyone Ranted, to start a factory they could it nobody could get into the milk business without a license. That meanl r estricted competition. Every time they tt et they were told that they could nol Set anything more. Mr._ Stonex said that he had spenl ■*"0 m the past 12 months trying ti Set the men on commission.

%.;?urtell said that if the council Rinsed to move they would have to do Bc "n?tliing themselves. The farmers were receiving as muc j l aga i n for retailed ■ J}* % they did for butterfat. The tl ty: Council representatives had done nothing to get the 10 per cent cut back. Mr.Stonex said that a six-day week. 2* 10 per cent restoration would cost ***>&

Mr. Camp said that the Milk Council was definitely afraid to fulfil its obligations. Mr. Purtell said that it was unreasonable not to ask something, and if they stuck to that attitude it seemed that the 'only thing was to go to the council and ask that the price should be increased id a quart. If the council would not do something it should be put out of office. The council was paying its inspectors £7 a week, and had increased the secretary's salary £50 a year "in one hit." Position of Vendors. Mr. Camp said that if the Milk Council did not do its duty the vendors could not do what was asked without going out of business. ° Mr. Purtell said that it was not fair to ask the roundsmen to keep going as they were doing. Mr. Camp suggested that if the council was prepared to allow an additional Id a gallon they could restore the 10 per cent cut to the outside staffs and factory staffs. Mr. Purtell: We cannot consider that. That would only give the 10 per cent —about 8/ a week—and there is nothing about the six-day week.

Mr. Camp said that it was a complicated case as the people whose job it was to make a move would not move. The vendors could not do it, and he suggested that they should refer the matter to the Court. Mr Ellison: What chance have we of getting anything out of the vendors? Mr. Massey: Nothing, as long as we have the Metropolitan Milk Council. Mr. Ellison: Well, that is a poor lookout for the roundsmen. Mr Camp: Why the City Council did not instruct its representatives on the Milk Council to do something I dont know. ~ „ "Come to a Stonewall." Mr. Hally said that they had come to a stonewall. At the end of 30 days he would have to report that no agreement had been reached, and at the end 3 another 30 days they would be left without an award. The final offer of the vendors was that if the Milk Council would agree to the price of milk being increased Id a lallon they would restore the 10 per cent cut to the roundsmen, factory hinds and outside workers, the queetum of holidays, hours and a six-day week to be referred to the Arbitration Court Mr Purtell said that the proposal would be placed before the union as soon as possible.