WICKER WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 190, 10 May 1934, Page 13

WICKER WORKERS

Dispute in Wellington NO AGREEMENT REACHED No agreement was reached. In a Wicker workers’ industrial dispute heard yesterday before the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. P. Hally. Another meeting may be held later if the parties through their agents are able to come to an arrangement. The dispute was between Leonard Stewart, Petone, F. 0. Weine, Wellington, and Andrew Glastonbury, Island Bay, for whom Mr. W. J. Mountjoy appeared, and the Wellington Federated Furniture Trades Industrial Union of Workers. Messrs. J. Ferguson, T. Kirk, C. Martin, and H. Flitcroft appeared for the union. Although the Wellington award was dated to expire in 1932, said Mr. Mountjoy, it did not lapse until it was superseded. The Canterbury, Auckland, and Otago awards, however, had lapsed, and consequently the Wellington employers were at a disadvantage, as they could not compete with manufacturers in other districts. Wellington employers were not opposed to an award, and were also willing to consider a Dominion . award. They wanted conditions that would apply to all. It would be In the interests of all. said Mr. Hally, if this section were put on the same basis as other branches of the furniture, trade. Mr. Ferguson said the union did not wish to relinquish the present award, ■as it would mean discharging men to engage boys and girls to do the work. He understood workers’ organisations in all other centres favoured a Dominion award. _____