Strike May Last All This Week

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30619, 9 December 1964, Page 22

Strike May Last All This Week

Indications were that the strike by 180 workers at the Empire Rubber Mills, \Voolston factory would continue all this week, said the secretary of the Canterbury Rubber Workers’ Union (Mr T. Fletcher) yesterday.

The plant, which produces industrial rubber products, has been idle since 9 a.m. on Monday. Mr Fletcher said that it was ail he could do at a meeting of the factory workers in the Trades Hall yesterday to stop the workers from “going home for the week.” A further meeting of all workers, he said, would be held in the Trades Hall at 11 a.m. today to receive a report from the workers’ negotiating committee. An attempt would be made by the negotiating committee to meet the management at 8 a.m. today. Mr Fletcher said that the company was evading an employer's responsibility by sidetracking simple disputes. When a dispute was on the horizon, a company’s best chance of settling it was there and then round the table. “The machinery and organisation were within the four walls of the Empire factory

itself to settle these disputes weeks ago,” said Mr Fletcher. The factory staff officer (Mr N. G. Pickering) said that the management wished to make clear the following points on all matters raised by the union: “(1) Hose bonus. The union demands a bonus of £7 10s a 40-hour week, irrespective of quality or quantity of production. Average earnings a man for the last eight months have been £25 13s 8d a week. “(2) Overtime claim for one man. The award provides for a payment for the occasion when a worker is notified to work overtime and where circumstances have changed the position and he is not called upon to carry out such work. The employee and the factory delegate have been informed that the appropriate payment would be made. “(3) Chalk. The use of chalk is an essential part of the operations of a genera) rubber goods factory. This matter was discussed in the Conciliation Council in April of this year, when the only matter for the Arbitration Court to settle was the union claim for additional holidays. Subsequent to these proceedings the management and factory delegates have discussed problems which arise from the use of chalk, and by agreement alterations and additional equipment were provided. “(4) Inspection money. The award provides for a special payment for examiners and graders. A liberal interpretation of this clause results in this payment being made to 39 workers. “The current claim is for the extension of the payment to include certain workers who, while performing their normal work, reject unsuitable material.”

Mr Pickering said that the company again informed the union yesterday that the management would immediately meet union representatives to discuss workers’ claims, when normal work was resumed. Production in other factories of the Skellerup group in Christchurch is not likely to be affected by the strike for some time. The group possesses a second Banbury machine capable of handling carbon black, if required, for the processing of rubber.