Mr Skinner Deplores Action

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31498, 12 October 1967, Page 1

Mr Skinner Deplores Action

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 11.

The action of the Canterbury Hotel Association in initiating legal proceedings against the secretary of the Canterbury Hotel Workers’ Union (Mr L. N. Short) in the present dispute was deplored by the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner) today.

Mr Skinner said the action would only incite and inflame the present situation and would make no contribution to a satisfactory and amicable settlement of the dispute. “Neither will it encourage the parties to negotiate in a conciliatory spirit The New Zealand -Hotel Workers’ Union has the support of all kindred trade unions in their efforts to receive reasonable compensation arising from

the change in the hours for the sale of liquor,” Mr Skinner said.

The Secretary of Labour (Mr N. S. Woods) said today reports that he had offered to appoint an arbitrator were not correct. He said he had offered to provide a conciliation commissioner as chairman of any meeting between the two parties in the dispute. However, there had not been tin approach from either group and the Department of labour was not contemplating action. Ban On Beer

A decision on whether to lift a ban on beer deliveries to the Albion Hotel in Hobson Street, Auckland, will be taken at a meeting among several unions tomorrow morning, says the Press Association.

The ban was imposed today when the Hotel Workers' Union claimed that the licensee was using unauthorised people behind the bar after 7 p.m. The licensee of the Albion (Mr M. I. MatuUch) said today he had consulted his lawyer and as a result had decided to bow to the union. He had earlier employed his wife, father and sister as well as the manager and the manager’s wife. But now he

would not work in the bar, neither would his father nor his sister. There could nftt be two managers working at the same time. He was classed as a manager in this context. Nelson barmen decided today to ignore a request from their national body not to work In bars after 7 p.m. Secret Ballot At a secret ballot today they decided to work till 10 p.m. Of the 43 bar staff members in the Nelson hospital Restaurant, Hotel and Related Trades Union, 33 voted in favour of working till bars shut at 10 p.in.; eight voted against Today’s secret ballot was held at the request of local barmen.

In the first two nights of late closing, most Nelson hotelkeepers have not asked their staff to work, though one or two have volunteered. A Wellington message says that the dispute appeared no nearer solution tonight. Workers and employers were both standing firm. The dispute has forced closure of many bars after 7 p.m. in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. In most other centres barmen are continuing -to serve customers. Main Centres The national secretary of the Hotel Workers’ Union (Mr G. Armstrong) said in Auckland today that there was no immediate prospect of conciliation. He could not say how long the dispute would last. It was mainly based on the main centres; and the federation was not really concerned about country hotels employing casual labour. He said wine waiters in licensed restaurants were, under a different award and the dispute did not apply to them.