TUNNELLERS' RATES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 116, 19 May 1931, Page 10

TUNNELLERS' RATES

MEN FEEL AGGRIEVED

DESIRE FOR A TRIBUNAL

"In refusing a tribunal to which tiwj locked-out Public Works men may stat«] their grievances, the Prime Minister; has adopted an attitude hitherto un» known in the history of the Dominion," said Mr. A. Cook, secretary .0$ the New Zealand Workers?.. .Union,.,. day"AH other sections of workers, working under Arbitration Court awards^ have full access to a tribunal, and arc given every latitude to state their casflj against a wages reduction. Not so tha Public Works men. They are bluntly; told to accept a reduction of over 50 pet; cent, or cease work. By peaceful negotiations the men's representatives hava used every endeavour to get the Prints Minister to agree to them stating thei^ case before a tribunal in order to ,'ar* rive at a basis for settlement.

• "Caii anyone deny the absolute fair* ness of the menV request? The men! have even gone further. They have askect to be allowed to man the jobs at agreement daily rates, viz., 16s,per day fop tunnellers, and 14s per day for'outsida •work.' This request has also been refused. The men fully, recognise that 16s .per shift'is far too low for underground work, yet they''have offered. their services for that rate to 'show: they ,ara> sincere when ■ stating the piece-work rate offered by/the Government-will not allow of their making a "living wage. ■. : •',' ... .. .. ~ "When the last deputation waited on Mr. Forbes, he. said Cabinet had been advised by the ongineers of the Public Works Department that tha men could make fair wages at ths prices offered. This the men;.««/*. but their denial 'cuts no ice' with Mr* Forbes.' 'The engineers are right-j consequently the men have no case,1' is the motto of our leading statesman., "The present Cabinet consists of a body of men, not one of whom has the slightest knowledge of tunnelling work or railway construction work/generally. What right have they to tell a body of export construction workers that they; have no case to warrant the setting up of a tribunal in order to reach an early; settlement? "Hero is an illustration of the great injustice done to the men. At Tanga-. rakau (Stratford Main Trunk railway); a single track railway tunnel:under-the old prices .was being driven at £6 16s 6d per■■, foot (finished w'prk), admitted, by expert engineers to : b'- the j lowest rate paid in the world. The new contract reduces this rate to £3 11s peij foot, and the>mcn are locked out for refusing to submit to such a scandalous reduction. In conclusion, we reaffirm our offer to go back'to work at day, wages, or original co-operativo: contract prices, pending a basis for, settlement being reached by the tribunal we hayej asked for."