DRAINLAYERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 130, 3 June 1937, Page 22

DRAINLAYERS

AWARD TO BE SOUGHT

A meeting of licensed drainlayers was held in the Trades Hall last evening under the cnairmanship of Mr, M. O'Grady. Mr. P. M. Butler, secretary of the Municipal and General .Workers' Union (incorporating the-'1 Labourers' and Related Trades), Mr, F. D. Cromwell, secretary of the Federation of Labour, and Mr. F. P. Walsh, an executive member of the. Fuderationf ■ot Labour, were also present.

Mr. Butler outlined the needs of the licensed drainlayers and spoke of the difficulties with which they were faced inasmuch as a large percentage of them were independent contractors, and comparatively few worked on wages. The trouble in the past had been that there had been no basis or award for the fixation of wages or contract prices, he said.

Mr. Butler said that' the matter* were complicated slightly by the fact that a small number of the drainlayers who w«»re not yet .members of the union had taken steps- to form a separate organisation, which he considered'was not in the best .interests of the workers themselves, nor of ths Labour movement generally. Wages claims on behalf of the drainlayers wore £6 per week, and for labourers £5 per week, with "other claims re* specting additional wages for filthy work

Mr. Walsh stated that Mr. Cornwell and he,' as representatives of the Federation of Labour, were interested from the' point of view of whether a separate union should' be established. "The Federation of Labour," said Mr. Walsh, "is of ..the opinion that there are sufficient unions in' existence now, and it should be possible for any workers not covered by awards at present to link up with an existing union. It would' be the duty of that union to get an award covering theil particular class of work."

Mr. Cornwell endorsed Mr. Welsh's remarks, and suggested that a- full meeting of the men concerned' should be held

Mr. Butler stated that he had inyited every drainlayer by personal circular to attend the meeting, and he would be pleased if Mr. Cornwell could arrange any further meetings, but in the meantime' it was the duty of i his union to proceed for an award for the men, who were not protected. Mr. Robinson moved: "That this meeting of drainlayers approve the claims put forward by the Wellington Labourers' and Related Trades for a separate award for licensed drainlayers and ask the union to proceed on their behalf." , The motion was seconded by Mr. B. Mason and carried unanimously.