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Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 302, 21 December 1943, Page 4

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MODERATE TERMS WORKERS' CLAIMS TRADES COUNCIL ACTING The Auckland gas workers decided this morning to hand over their dispute to the Auckland Trades Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. In making this announcement the president of the council, Mr. F. Craig, said this afternoon that the workers maue an offer to the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, to resume work if their demands of an allround wages increase of thre:pence an hour were accepted. Alternatively it was suggested that Lhe Government take over the works ~nd run them on a co-operative basis with the help of the workers on the lines of the Waikato mines settlement. ■The Minister, said Mr. Craig, refused to consider the offer and ordered the men back to work unconditionally. The men, he added, reiused to return. Xot Conciliatory "In the opinion of the Trades Council." said Mr. Craig, "the Minister's action has not been conciliatory. This has had the result only of making the men more adamant in their determination to remain on strike until justice is done." Mr. Craig said Mr. Webb had visited the works some time ago and expressed sympathy with the workers in their demands for better conditions. Representatives of the Trades Council had paid their first visit to the works this morning and were astonished at the conditions under which the men were expected to work. The obsolete condition of the plant was also commented upon. "It seemed to us," said Mr. Craig, "that, giving of their best, and with the present machinery at their disposal, the men could not be expected to show a better production than is the case now. The men's lunch room, although stated to have been cleaned since Mr. Webb's visit, was far from satisfactory. All these things have had repercussions in the industry and have naturally not put the men in a frame of mind to accept threats." Comparing the working conditions of the men with those of more fortunate workers, the Trades Council, said Mr. Craig, was of the opinion that the demands of the gas workers were moderate and, therefore, should be met in a conciliatory spirit. The Trades Council would attempt to reopen discussion with the Government through the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Transport. It was hoped that a settlement would be arrived at at an early date so that the men could resume production.