Support promised to woollen workers

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33037, 3 October 1972, Page 14

Support promised to woollen workers

(By our industrial reporter)

Fellow unionists yesterday promised financial support to the woollen workers who have now been on strike for four days at Millers Worsted Mills, Ltd, Christchurch.

In a further secret ballot yesterday, the workeis reaffirmed their decision not to return to work until then branch union secretary (Mr S Dee) had been reinstated The management again refused to reinstate Mr Dee, but offered to put the issue to a disputes committee headed by a conciliation commissioner—under termof reference framed by the management. These terms excluded the underlying cause of the dispute, which is dissatisfaction with the factory bonus system. The strikers met twice yesterday, and admitted reporters to both meetings. In between the meetings their representatives conferred with officers of the Canterbury Trades Council and

were promised full backing in their support of Mr Dee. The secretary of the Can terbury Woollen Workers’ Union (Mr L. T. McGinn) reported to the second meeting that the officers could see no reason for Mr Dee’s dismissal and were adamant that he would have to be reinstated before there was anv mediation or arbitration.

“They thought,” said Mr McGinn, “that if you didn’t make a stand over this, you’d get kicked to pieces." Earlier, Mr McGinn had told the workers that the management had admitted that the real reason for Mr Dee’s dismissal was that he had gone too far in union business.

“He was acting in his job as branch secretary, in good

faith, in the interests of the workers. He had tried to get details of the workings of the bonus system from Mr Holmes (the manager) but without success,” Mr McGinn said.

In response to a question from the union president (Mrs R. Milne), the workers agreed that none of them could work out what bonus was due to them. A member of the union’s district management committee, representing the woollen workers at Marlin

Carpets, Ltd, said that all Mr Dee had tried to do was build up a good union spirit at Millers —not militancy. “Marlin workers,” he said, “enjoy good industrial relations. We’re not kept waiting cap in hand at the manager’s door, and we always come to a friendly, middle-of-the-road course. At Millers, as long as you do what the management wants there’s good industrial relations. But as soon as you stick up for yourselves there’s trouble.” Before the conclusion of the second meeting, representatives from other union branches in Kaiapoi, Christchurch, Ashburton and Timaru promised financial support to the strikers and said they would report to their own members at the first opportunity.

Union officials will meet the executive of the Canterbury Trades Council this morning and report again to a further meeting of the strikers.