STAGE HANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 143, 14 December 1933, Page 10

STAGE HANDS

DOMINION DISPUTE

NEW AWARD SOUGHT

SPIRITED EXCHANGES

Somo spirited exchanges took place in the Conciliation Council proceedings today between the New Zealand I Theatrical Proprietors' and Managers' Industrial Association of Employers and the Now Zealand Federated Theatrical and Places of Amusement Employees' Industrial Association of Workers. Mr. A. W. Croskery, advocate for the workers, alleged that the employers' proposals had emanated from the Wellington Employers' Association, a statement that was emphatically denied by Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, agent for the employers. The Conciliation Commissioner was Mr. P. Hally. The employers' assessors who were seeking a new Dominion award were Messrs. Mountjoy, H. Stringer, B. Shopard/and W. Burton, and the workers' assessors were Messrs. E. Pearson, L. Flowers, J. B. Holmes, and B. Ashby. The employers proposed a 10 per cent, reduction of the existing rates of pay, and alterations in the conditions of employment, and the workers sought the retention in the main of the existing award. Mr. Croskery said that since the previous meeting the workers' union concerned had considered the employers' proposals. They were not satisfied with the old award, and did not intend to have a repetition this time. They were definitely opposed to the proposals concerning overtime rates and travelling time, and were not prepared to agree that there should be any reduction in the rates of pay under the old award. ATTITUDE UNCALLED FOR. Mr. Mountjoy said he was rather disappointed with Mr. Croskery's dictatorial attitude, which was altogether uncalled for and opened up a serious phase of the whole dispute. The parties had met harmoniously at the previous meeting, and the employers had made an offer which Mr. Croskery, on behalf of the workers, had received very favourably. "He now comes back and says that the unions are going to make us do what they want," Mr. Mountjoy said. "I think it is rather a pity. We haje come here in the same spirit as when we met last time, to try and arrive at a reasonable settlement." The Conciliation Commissioner said ho thought there was still room for mediation if a reasonable offer was made by either side. Mr. Mountjoy said there was no suggestion of refusing to meet Mr. Croskory. Nevertheless they were not going to be,bludgeoned into .anything. There could be no question of that. Mr. Pearson: We are only asking you to give us back something we used to have. Mr. Croskery: We know the office from which all these proposals emanate, the office on The Terrace where they are all drawn up. ... We are not letting the Employers' Association draw up what would be a disgrace to our manhood. We know the pressure that is put on employers to agree to this kind of thing. A very large section of the employers tells us they don't want what the Employers' Association is demanding on their behalf. STATEMENT DENIED. Mr. Mountjoy: They may tell you that. However, the point is that these proposals are not drawn up by the Wellington Employers' Association. They are not directly interested in this particular industry as an association. The representatives of this industry are here today, and they can speak for themselves as to what they have been told and whether the proposals contain what they want or not. , . Mr. Croskery: The mere fact of your having a Government that you consider has given you a weapon to use on the workers makes you of the opinion that it should be used good_ and hard, but it is not going to be usefl on these men I represent. J It was impossible.for the Employers' Association to draft the proposals, said Mr. Burton. Mr. Croskery: The Employers' Association has a certain well-defined line of attack, and that is the reduction of the workers' wages, and we are calling their bluff. . Mr. Mountjoy reiterated that the proposals had not come from the Employers' Association. The employers' assessors then retired. On returning Mr. Mountjoy said they wanted to make it quite clear that the employers in the industry were not desirous of reducing wages unnecessarily. He referred to the depressed state of the industry, and said that if the employers could get reasonable-relief in. the conditions of employment they would seriously consider leaving the wages a^ they were at present. The meeting was adjourned until this afternoon to allow the workers' assessors to consider the position.