THE RECENT STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 273, 11 August 1908, Page 7

THE RECENT STRIKE.

BAKERS' TRADE NORMAL. "FULLY STAFFED." "What aro the master bakers doing nowp" a reporter asked Mr. H. F. Allen yesterday. The Secretary of tho Wollington Bakers' Union of Employers looked puzzled for a moment, and then, with tho air of ono recalling old events, ho asked: "Aro you referring to tho recent striko?"

The adjective would seem a truo description of affairs. Mr. Allen showed our representative a copy of a telegram which ho had just dispatched to an operative baker in anothor district, who had written asking if there was .any chance of his obtaining a position in Wellington as a foroman or second hand. Mr. Allen's telegram gave the man no hope. Tho position was succinctly put in its concluding words:—

" All tho master bakers hero have all the hands they require." "Last week," said Mr. Allen, "I received a letter from Dunedin, stating that threo competent men, a foreman and two second lianas, were available to take work in Wellington. I replied that they were not wanted, as tho master bakers woro fully staffod.' One master baker told me that ho is putting out moro bread now, with ono less hand, than lie' was beforo the striko. Very few third hands aro working; tliey aro not wanted; third hands aro practically incompetent workmen j there wero very few of them employed beforo tho strike. "Two of tho men who aro on striko, or rather, were on striko," continued Mr. Allen, " applied for work last week to a master baker who had employed them for soveral years. Ho told them that their places wero filled. Only ono master baker is working himself, and ho docs it bocauso ho finds it suits him. -He told mo that ho had got ono more hand than ho needed, and could leavo work himself at any time.. Ho has satisfied himself that ho has now a' really good staff. " Every day sees men going to master bakers and asking to be taken back, but there aro no vacancies. I rang up four master bakers on Saturday to ask if tliey could take a second hand who was highly recommended by tho master bakers at the last conferenco at Now Plymouth. They all replied that tho.v woro fully staffed." Mr. W. H. Wostbrooke, Secretary of tho Trades and Labour Council, which is now controlling tho " striko," informed tho reporter that contributions to striko pay wero still being forwarded in amounts of £10 and £20. To inquiries as to how long tlieso contributions wero likely to bo continued, when tho men could do nothing to regain their positions, ho replied that ho had nothing further to report,