RAILWAY WORKERS AT OTAHUHU

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25083, 15 January 1947, Page 6

RAILWAY WORKERS AT OTAHUHU

WATERSIDERS’ CASE NOT SUPPORTED

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, January 14. When Mr A. Drennan, national vicepresident of the Waterside Workers’ Union, and Mr J. Mitchell, a member of the National Council of the union, addressed a meeting of about 1000 railway workers at the Otahuhu workshops at midday on Monday, they were reminded by their audience of the time in January last year, when waterside workers urged a mass meeting in Carlaw Park of striking railwaymen to resume work and await the decision of a Government-appoint-ed tribunal The speakers on that occasion were Mr H. Barnes, national president of the Waterside Workers’ Union, and Mr T. Hill, national secretary of the union.

It was reported that the Otahuhu railway workers gave Messrs Drennan and Mitchell a courteous but cool hearing. The only resolution passed was one thanking the speakers. Members of the Otahuhu branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and the Railway Tradesmen’s Association, and a few from the Railway Officers’ Institute, attended. The speakers defended the watersi '.ers’ attitude.

A meeting of the executive of the Otahuhu branch.of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants at Newmarket on Monday night decided to ask the society’s head office to call a meeting of the executive to try to bring about an amicable settlement of the dispute through the Federation of Labour. It was stated that at no time did the meeting support the wateraiders’ present stand.