OBJECTIONS BY UNIONS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24986, 21 September 1946, Page 6

OBJECTIONS BY UNIONS

INCREASED SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES STOPWORK MEETINGS ON WATERFRONT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, September 20. Unions in Wellington have voiced objection to increases in allowances to the Governor-General and of salaries to Judges of the Supreme Court on the ground that claims for increases for workers have been queried in the Arbitration Court on the ground of stabilisation. The objections are expected to be supported by stop-work meetings by waterside workers through the Dominion. The Lower Hutt section of the Wellington Labourers’ Union took the first step, and was later joined in a request to the Federation of Labour to have the stabilisation position clarified by the Wellington Waterfront Central Committee, which includes delegates of the Foremen Stevedores’ .Union Harbour Board Employees’ Union, Carpenters’ Union, Tally Clerks’ Union. Shipwrights’ Union, and Drivers’ Union. This morning a special meeting of the Waterside Workers’ Union supported the protest made to the Federation of Labour by the union’s national secretary (Mr T Hill). Mr E. A. Napier, secretary of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union, said the action of the national officers was unanimously endorsed in a motion which pointed out that the increase in pay to the judiciary was approximately equivalent to the total annual wage of an average worker and that the worker would have to foot the bill through increased taxation. “It is the expressed opinion of waterside workers,” Mr Napier said, “and they believe the opinion of all wage earners, that stabilisation is applicable only to those who come in the strata of a worker. The decision of the Government in this matter has caused dissatisfaction among members of the union and other, workers. ” Mr Napier also recalled the action oi members of Parliament in substantially increasing their own salaries and granting an expense allowance. “Without disputing the right to an increase for the Governor-General and the Judiciary, it is apparent that the economic conditions of these gentlemen are much more favourable than that of the average wage-earner and I trust that the Federation of Labour, as a national body representing the workers, will voice its disapproval in no uncertain manner and demand compensatory increase for the wage earners of this country.”