No Settlement In Sight In Wallboard Dispute

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 10

No Settlement In Sight In Wallboard Dispute

There is no immediate prospect of a settlement in the wages dispute which arose last week between New Zealand WaHboards, I Ltd., in Opawa road, and its [employees. Eighteen em[ployees did not report for 'work yesterday. • The district organiser of the Canterbury Carpenters’ and I Plasterers' Union (Mr R. J. Pitcairn) said the men would undertake no other work while the dispute continued. There was a meeting yesterday morning between representatives of the union, the men. and the district council of the Federation of Labour. Sustenance arrangements for the men in the dispute were made.

The dispute will be placed before the president and executive of the F.O.L. conference which opens in Wellington today, the secretary of the district council of the F.O.L. (Mr C. R. Thomas) said yesterday. A request will be made for full eo-operation and support at the confer, ence.

The president of the Canterbury Master Plasterers’ Association (Mr C. W. Cairns) said the association had protested against the company's application to set aside the award.

“The company believes the most suitable basis for pay. ing the men in the factory is that covered by the award for Auckland and Wellington.” said the general manager of

New Zealand Wallboards (Mr G, Maskill-Smith) from Auckland yesterday. "The company sought for, and appointed, men on that basis and has applied to the Arbitration Court for that award to be extended, to Christchurch. Urgency has been requested.

“The company does pot agree with the contention of the secretary of the plasterers' union that unskilled men should be paid at the rate of qualified plasterers, nor does it agree with the action of the Plasterers’ Union in calling for a stoppage of work when the matter is doming up for arbitration,” he said.