WHAT. IS A STRIKE ?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 311, 25 September 1908, Page 4

WHAT. IS A STRIKE ?

TWENTY MINUTES' CESSATION OF WORK. INTERESTING POINT RAISED; (11V IULEGRAWI—rnsss ASSOCIATION.) Wanganuir September 24. An important point in connection with the Arbitration Act was disclosed ,as the result of a case hoard in the Arbitration Court, in which thirty employees of. the Wangenui ■Meat Freezing Company were, charged with . striking. , J .i. ' Evidence was given to the effect that tho < men stopped work in February last-for 20 minutes only and demanded an increase of wages, a "round robin" being sent in to ■: tho company." Tho men wero informed that their action was tantamount to a- strike. Ths men contended that tho award under 4 which - they wero supposed to .be working had been cancelled, and, therefore,. was inoperative. The company, on protest, gave the increana demanded, and tho men returned ; to work. They were subsequently given to understand that what had.occurred was not a strike, and th«t the Minister for Labour and Inspector of Awards agreed with this view. Tho Labour Department initiated proceedings subsequently, *nd the men w«re charged b«t Tuei). DaT \rith striking, *nd tie Court reserved judgmait. Later in the sittings, conntel for the'men pointed out that tho Weupanui Workers' Union had boon oaneoll«i iu IPOS, • and a new union fonn«d later ui the voar. The old union having become defunct, i-oun-sul held that no award was in foico.. tho. formation of the now union not having re-vived-tho award. - Counsel for tho Department esked for tinle j to consult the Wellington authorities', fvl *e ; a result the cases were this morning - v i<h» drawn on tho ground raised by the del'ciica-