BACK AT WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1937, Page 5

BACK AT WORK.

WESTFIELD DISPUTE.

CHANGE-OVER WANTED.

FERTILISER WORKERS' CLAIM

lVndinjr consideration of elniin-* for inireiised nujrcK for "day" , men. "liank" .

men and those employed on blue-tone and lime sulphur, the H(i employee.- who walke<l off their jitlm at the Westtield

clieniical manure works ve-terdu \. cans

injr a euiiiplete sto|i|ia>.'e in the dispatch department, resumed work this morninv. Their claims « ill lie con-idered by repieisentative* of the employers and union at a meeting to be held by the conciliation commissioner. Mr. I{. K. Price, probably on Wednesday next.

The cessation of work in the dispatch department yesterday, the men claim, followed failure by the management to carry out an agreement which was arrived at on Tuesday to provide a chan<re of employment to "hank ,, men. Four men were concerned, lint when the change-over was due yesterday nmrnin? it was found that only two of the four were to Im> relieved, and, resentinjr the attitude of the management in not making a complete changeover, the four men walked off their jobs, and all other workers in the depart merit followed suit. The men remained nt the works till about :t p.m.. and at a meeting during the afternoon decided to hold a special meeting of the union this evening to consider the position.

Aliout a fortnight a<r<> Hie Otahuhu Chemical Manure Worker**' Cnion's claims for a new award were considered in conciliation council, hut though an agreement was reached on a nnmher of matters the question of wages was referred to Ihe Arbitration Court. As the Court will not bo sitting in Auckland till May or June next thr men feel that the claims made for increases in the present rate should lie at least considered by the employers without waiting till the Court sits about two months hence.

In the claims filed by the union 2/0 en hour i* asked for "day" men. and 3/ an hour for "bank" men and those employed on Milestone and lime riilplnir. The union claims that the latter are enframed on particularly hard and important work under exacting conditions. The employers in their counterclaim offered the "day" men 2/Oj an hour without differentiation.

When the dispute was before the eonfiliation council the union offered to reduce the wage claims to 2/4 and 2/(1 nn hour for the workers concerned, but (he men claim the employers refused to discuss the question of wages. The "hank" men later approached the management and asked that they be given a ehanjre of employment. su<*fjestinjr that the work should be rotated, seeing that there wa« to be no differentiation in pay. The men nay the management ajrreed to the re<|iie<t. but yesterday morning instead of there being a complete change only two men were to be relieved. It was because of this that the men ceased work vesterdav.