STRIKE OVER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 99, 28 April 1945, Page 6

STRIKE OVER

CITY GAS WORKERS

LIMITED SUPPLY ON MONDAY

After being on strike since noon on Thursday, retort house workers at the Auckland gas works resumed .work at noon to-day. It is expected that a limited supply of gas will be available for household needs on Monday, possibly in time for breakfast.

The decision to strike followed the dismissal by the Auckland Industrial Manpower Committee of the appeals of two of the workers against being directed to other employment. About 40 members of the retort house staff were involved.

Following a conference yesterday between representatives of the strikers and. the acting-Minister of Labour, Mr. O'Brien, a meeting of the workmen concerned was held in the Trades Hall at 3 p.m. After a discussion lasting for nearly two hours, the men rejected the proposals of the Minister, and he was advised later that they would not resume work, but would continue their meeting this morning. The Minister, had stated that if the men returned to work he would, have their case investigated. A further conference took place this morning between the Minister, members of. the disputes committee of the Auckland Trades Council, and members of the council. The result of this conference was reported to a further meeting of the workers, and the decision to resume work at midday was conveyed to Mr. R. Worley, manager of the Auckland Gas Company, during the morning. In stating that the meal-time supply for domestic purposes would possibly be available early on Monday morning, Mr. Worley said the resumption bf the service in so short a time would be due entirely to the efforts of members of the executive staff, including the assistant engineer, works superintendent, chief chemist, retort house foreman, chief draughsman and yard foreman, in keeping the retort house fires alight, although the heat had decreased considerably. Had these fires not been kept in operation the supply might not have been resumed for a week. Gas would not be available for industrial puropses on Monday unless users were notified during the week-end, and at present the possibility of this service being resumed seemed remote. . Mr Worley said the condition under which the men resumed work was the suspension of the transfer by the district manpower officer of two of their number to other employment. "The company directors and management feel strongly about this matter," he added. "However, in order that the public may have gas, nothing further has been done bv the company, apart from registering its protest."