THE GAS TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3162, 14 August 1917, Page 7

THE GAS TROUBLE

MEN RETURN TO WORK

CLAIMS TO BE ADJUSTED CONSTITUTIONALLY

floL .° rt ta , nds at the Wellington Gas Vompany s WO rks at Miramar, who ceased vrork_on July'B, resumed work yesterday morning on their old terms and conditions, in keeping with ■ tho nrgreoment signed on Saturday by the parties concerned.' The signatories to the agreement were eleven of the retort hands, the -chairman of the Gas Company (Dr. Prendergast Knight), and Mr. W. K. Hagger (Conciliation CommisionorJ. Tho agreement stated that tho men were to be-returned to their old positions in a body, and that they wero to proceed to an adjustment of the olaiuis in Iho manner laid down in Section 30 of tho Industrial Conciliation \ ami! Arbitrafion Act. This simply • mmns that the .-■ men- (who up till the present have not been members cf any union) are to form a union, register ■ in the usual way, and set out their claimn (which will, it is understood, be tbo claims made on the company by tho wen at the.beginning of the trouble). These will be considered by the Conciliation Council (the Commissioner, sitting with assessors representing', each.side)', and if. an agreement cannot be ■ reached the case will be sent on to, the Court of Arbitration in the constitutional mariner. The men made .Hie .stipulation that ajy. alterations made in the rate, of pay by the Council or Court shall date back to, and' count from, the day they' relinquished work at of the fortnight's notice.. ' -. "

As the preliminaries of forming and registering the proposed union will take Rome little time, iio date can yet be announced for the hearing of the oispute. The gas was on until 10 o'clock last .night, and will be released at 6.30 a.m. to-day, instead of. 7. a.m., keeping, up until 10 pirn, s \ ' j ' Owing to the cyclonic storm . which raged throughout yesterday, any hulk ■ work in the harbour was out of the question, and no labour was requ/isitioned to unload the coal belonging to the Gas Company, which had. been discharged into hulks. Providing the weathar moderates sufficiently, this .work will be pro r ceeded with to-day. ' ■ . ..•• ■ HISTORY OF THE DISPUTE : ■'■•.■" THE MEN'S CLAIM'S. 1 .Now that'the trouble has been settled ■"definitely.it is interesting to, briefly traverse its - history. - Seventeen retort hands at the Miramar works, be coming dissatisfied with their , lot, give, the company a' fortnight's .notice of their intention to cease wor*, if .certain demands made were not.satisfied.- ine demands', (which will form the basis of denian'us to be made constitutionally bi-iore the Conciliation Council, and, if necessary,'before the Arbitration Court) were us follow.— \ Stokers. ■ Wages.—To be.paid, for at the rate cf ■ 15s. .leading stokers, and ordinary etok«rs Us. 6d. per shift of eight-hours. Work.—To bo .four doubles or uii-iei ; anything over that.ainountio be termed "extra." .' '. . ''.:" ~ '/;■' ~../' - Extras.—To be paid for at the rate of ;2s.each; five retorts in the old houso-or : -niiie- retorts in new house to be termed One- extra. .' . • . . Breakdownsi-^To' be .raid for at tho rate time and a half for any breakdown which, causes retorts to be dropped on floor, or breakdown of hydraulic when doors have to .be lifted by hand; also one,extra man to bo supplied as usual'on each shift. ■ '. ■ . ■ • Clog-money.—To be increased from 3d. ■per shift-per man. . . .. ' N Holidays.—To be twelTe days on full pay for twelve months' sfotTngj.over the above, all statutory holidays, which are i to be paid for at the rate of double.time. ■ Fan.—Pan bowler to be completed as soun as possible. Pipe-jumpers' and Pitch-pans. Pipe-Jumpers.—Leading fiand to be paid 15s. and other, hands to be paid Us. 6d. per sliiTc of eight hours. ' ' ' ■ Pitch-pahs—To be paid .at the rate of Us. (id. per shift of eight hours per man. ounday Work.—ATl Sunday work to bo» paid for at the rate of doable time for all time worked. ' ' ■ Breakdowns.—To be. paid for at the rate of time and a half when stokers are required to drop retorts on a'oor. Holidays—To bo paid at the same rate as stokers.

Fire -Cleaners. In the event of us coming to.a satisfactory working arrangement and con- - tinuing in the company's employ, we ask that the following suggestions be given effect to:-(l) Skylight over'fires working to be made .watertight. (2) To be relieved of the care of ammonia plant, 'as very'often a nian is detained getting it in. working order at the expense of his "fires, hence the charge of deliberately ■ introducing the go-slow-policy. (3) As the wage' received at present, including bonus, amounts to 3d. less than the-ordinary-stoker's rate, we ask to be granted the same- in proportion as that granted to ordinary stokers. (!) Holidays to'be .at the same nilp as stokers. .'• " TTTe' company refused the men's claims, and at 6 a.m. on Sunday, July 8, the • regular hands knocked-off. Emergency hands were secured, a'nd with some diffi-

culty the supply of gas was maintained during tho ordinary working hour*, but was out off at (i p.m. and oa some days as early aa 5 p.m.

On Tuesday, July 10, the Kittawa went alongside tho wharf at Mirainar to discharge coal i'or the company. labour was engaged for this work in town, the mon actually boardod tho tramcare to proceed to Miranmr, but something happened at Kilbirnie wliich induced them to return to town. This aepect of the trouble had an ugly look, as it involved tho coal workers (a section of tho Waterside Workers' Union). On .Inly U and 12 the slokers conferred with the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. H. Hagj;er), without'result of a satisafctary I character:

Aβ the gae industry had been declared essential under the_ War Regulations prior to tho mon ceasing' work, tho polico took action on July 12, and on .Tuly 11 tho men wore charged before Mr. S. E. Ma«arthy, S.M., as parties to a seditious strike. Judgment was reserved. On July 18 the men were convicted nnd fined £5 each. Nothing of material moment happened after tho Court case until August 1, when it was announced by tho Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) that a settlenient had been effected on satisfactory lines, a curious featuro of the agreement boing that, the Public "Works Department was to find work for the men the Gas Company would not employ. The agreement was tigned by Topresentatives of the stokers, the- Waterside Workers' Union, the company, and the Government. The same iiwernoon it was annouinced that the nien were not going to keep to the agreement, which proved to be right. Mr. Massoy stigmatiee<l (he attitude of the men as a breach or faith but apparently could do no more. The Waterside Workers' Union at stopwork meetings urged the setting up of a special tribunal. ■ Last week better counsels prevailed, and on Friday the men concerned decided that it would bo best for themselves and fair to the commii.nity to como to an understanding without further delay, and on Saturday a settlement was arrived at (as above), with the aid of the Conciliation Commissioner.

JUMPING AT CONCLUSIONS THE"'DECLARATION OF ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES. With reference to the Labour allegation that the City Council had interfered in 'the dispute by requesting the bovernment to declare coal-gas manufacture an -essential industry, the Mayor (Mr. J. P Luke) showed a Dominion reporter the council's letter to the Minister of Munitions, dated June 29, regarding essential industries. This letter contains no reference whatever to gas. Ihe letter, which is signed by the Town Gwrk, is ai follows: — , , "I have the honour to inform you that the Wellington City Council at its meeting held on the 28th instant had under consideration the question of the public services'of-the City Corporation, which, in its opinion, should be carried on without risk of interruption, as being essential to the general welfare of the. community. After careful deliberation, It decided that the following branches of municipal activity came within the scope of the above description, and directed me to request that you will be good enough to declare the same to be essential industries under the War Regulations, viz.-Electric lighting, electric power supply, electric tramways, water supply, work of a sanitary character, such as drainage, refuse disposal, etc. His Worship tho Mayor desires me to express his hope that you will be able, to-accede to the above request at an early date."' .. . •