Factory Dispute Not Settled

Press, Volume C, Issue 29599, 23 August 1961, Page 11

Factory Dispute Not Settled

Conciliation proceedings between the New Zealand Wallboard Company, Ltd., and the New Zealand Carpenter®’ Union were adjourned yesterday without a setttemenft being reached. On the insistence of the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr S. W. Armstrong) the dispute has been referred to the Court of Arbitration.

The conciliation proceedings were held last month and yesterday in an endeavour to reach an agreement on the wages and working conditions in the New Zealand Wallboard’s factory at Opawa. Mr N. M. West appeared for the employers and Mr R. H. Hill for the workers at yesterday’s proceedings. At the conclusion of the bearing yesterday, the parties had reached agreement on only a few minor clauses applicable equally to both parties. The dispute is thus referred to the Court of 'Arbitration as being partially settled. The dispute arose in late April between the management and 18 workers over wages. The workers tlhencon tended that they would be covered by the plasterers’ award and paid journeymen plasterers’ wages. When the company applied to the Arbitration Court for exemption from the terms at the Can-terbury-Westland plasterers’ award, the men involved stopped work as a protest.