A REQUEST DECLINED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 60, 4 December 1937, Page 8

A REQUEST DECLINED

Shipwrights’ Dispute DISCUSSIONS CONCLUDE When the New Zealand shipwrights’ dispute, the original hearing of which took place in June, was resumed before Mr. M. J. Reardon, conciliation commissioner. yesterday at Wellington, the workers’ representatives suggested that before the discussions were commenced the employers’ representatives should agree to strike out the rate of 2/8J an hour decided upon at the previous sitting. This the employers refused to do, unless the workers first considered the question of a 44-hour week, work on Saturday mornings and non-pay-ment for travelling time for slip workers when engaged on the wharves. The parties were unable to agree, and the applicants, the New Zealand Federated Shipwrights and Boat Builders’ Industrial Association of Workers, is to apply to the Arbitration Court to have the’whole dispute withdrawn from the conciliation council. In support of their attitude, the workers’ representatives pointed out that since the last sitting the court had fixed the standard rate of pay at 2/9 an hour, while the rate for carpenters was 2/9J an hour. The employers’ representatives declined to accede to the request, and the council thereupon concluded its sitting. Bor tiie applicant association the agent was Mr. F. P. Walsh, and tiie assessors Messrs. E. Shannon (Auckland), W. L. Horn (Auckland), E. Goodwin (Wellington), R. Graham (Wellington), C. Hardy (Port Chalmers), and M. Monti (Port Chalmers). Mr. G. G. McFarlane was agent for the respondents, the Union Steam Ship Company, and others, and the assessors were Messrs. J. Cable, P. Jamieson, K. Belford, L. A. Skeet and L. Wood, all of Wellington. ■