Gas Workers Move To Stiffen Award Claim

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30066, 26 February 1963, Page 15

Gas Workers Move To Stiffen Award Claim

Thi Canterbury and Westland Gasworkers’ Union will or register tinder the Industrial, Conciliation and Arbitration Act, ' and re-register under the Incorporated Societies Act. The resolution to deregister the union was carried by 79 votes to five in a secret bailor, at a special stop-work meeting in the Trades Hall, Christchurch, yesterday mcming. The • meeting took this action after deciding on a show of hands, without dissent, to withdraw its claims in conciliation proceedings w»* the Christchurch Gas C mpany, Ltd. Members were told that un. der the 1. C. and A. Act the union "could be farced into the Arbitration Court," after conciliation proceedings had broken down, to complete an award. If the 'inion deregistered, it could ■ approach the company direct in an effort to get agreement on reasonable wages and conditions

The gas industry had been declared an essential one, members were informed, and, under the I. C. and A. Act, the union secretary and executive members could •be imprisoned or fined, individual members fined,' and the union as a whole fined, for taking strike action.

If the union deregistered, and registered under the Incorporated Societies Act, it would then be bound by the provision of that act, and the Police Offences Act in relation to strike action. Under the latter act, the union could inform its employers that it was going to withdraw labour, after deciding this by ballot, provided it 'gave the employers 14 days’ notice of that intention, the speakers said. The meeting was informed that the national council of the Federation of Labour had promised full support for the union in its endeavours to obtain a reasonable agreement on wages and conditions with the Chris’church Gas Co. Invited to address the meeting. Mr F. L. Langley said he had been asked to be the union's advocate at conciliation proceedings in January for a new award. The union asked for wages and conditions similar to those existing under an agreement between th" . Greymourh Borough Council and gasworkers in that town, said Mr Langley Rates of Pay

He said that the top rate of pay under the existing award between the Christchurch Gas Company and gasworkers was 6s 8d an hour, compared with 7s 9jd an hoitr in Greymouth. 'Without exception, the Christchurch rates are £2 to to £2 10s less a week than they are in Greymouth. If you accept the 2d an hour offered by the Christchurch company in conciliation, you

wifi still be 35s to £2* Ss a week tower than the rates m Greymouth,” Mr Langley said. He said that assessors for the Christchurch Gas Company had refused to negotiate on demands for sick pay, travelling time or can allowance, service, bonus and extra holidays or length of' service, all of which were enjoyfed by Greymouth workers. “It is said that coal in Greymouth .is cheaper because the gas works are nearer the mines. The arrangement, I understand, is that all gas works are charged the same for coal and the freight is subsidised. “I do npt feel disposed to continue to negotiate an award which will not giw the wages and. conditions that one section of workers in your indpstry. Greymouth, enjoys. The taxpayer subsidises the gas industry so that gas works are not run at a loss,” said Mr Langley. The union secretary <Mr M. W. Rhodes) said that the union had'not asked for anything exhorbitant ih conciliation. The employers’ representatives had “sat dumb and silent to our demands and made us look silly.”

The Christchurch Gas Company would have to realise the workers were going to fight for ' better wages and conditions, said Mr Rhodes. Offer Refused By a show of hands, the meeting unanimously refused to accept the compapy’s offer of 2}d and-2d an hour. The meeting resolved on a shoW of hands, without dissent, to withdraw its claims from conciliation.. It resolved, by ballot, to deregister under the I. C. and A. Act. It resolved, on a show of hands, without dissent, to advise the national council of the F.O.L. of its actions, and call on the F.O.L. for all necessary support to obtain a reasonable agreement on wages and conditions with the Christchurch Gas Company. The meeting decided that the executive, in drawing up new wage claims should confer with representatives of all sections of the industry in Christchurch.