CHEMICAL WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 5, 6 July 1939, Page 22

CHEMICAL WORKERS

COURT THE JUDGE

STATEMENT BY EMPLOYERS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, July 5,

"Employers note, by the most recent statement in the Press, that unions invite impartial investigation of their working conditions and that they are awaiting acceptance of the workers' proposals made on June 27 to negotiate for a settlement," says a statement issued today on behalf of the companies operating the Otahuhu, Westfield, and Te Papapa chemical manure works, where employees have been on strike for the last ten days.

"So far as the employers are concerned, they consider that the workers' grievance is not against the employers but against the decision of the Court of Arbitration, made in October, 1938. In April, 1938, the employers made an offer of l|d increase in wages to workers, but this they declined to accept, and preferred that the question should be referred to the Court of Arbitration.

"In regard to the proposal that an impartial investigation be made, the employers wish to state that previous to the decision of the Court oi Arbitration, made in October, 1938, the Court spent a full day in investigating working conditions at three fertiliser works in the Auckland district, so that it would appear that all working conditions were taken into account before the award was made.

"Eecognising that workers were dissatisfied with the terms of the Court of Arbitration award, the employers agreed to join with them in asking the Court to terminate the award as from June 14, 1939. This was done to afford the workers an opportunity of restating their case to the Court of Arbitration, but was not an admission by the employers that wages should be increased.

, "The award terminated by order of the Court of Arbitration on the date mentioned, and it now rests with the workers to refer the matter to the Court of Arbitration, which is the only properly constituted impartial tribunal set up for the purpose of settling labour disputes. The employers, on their part, have no alternative but to accept the decision of the Court of Arbitration, and it is surely up to the workers to do likewise.

"Inconvenience caused to farmers through non-delivery of fertilisers is, entirely the result ° the workers taking direct action instead of stating their case to the Court of Arbitration."