AUCKLAND DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 5, 7 January 1944, Page 3

AUCKLAND DISPUTE

WARNING BY MINISTER

If the Auckland bus drivers carried out their decision not to work on Sundays except to carry essential workers it would be necessary to invoke the provisions of the law regarding illegal stoppages of work, said the Minister of Labour (Mr. Webb) last night. It was reported in a message from Auckland yesterday that the Auckland Drivers' Union had decided at a meeting the previous night to support the bus drivers' resolution to carry only essential workers on Sundays till the proprietors agreed to the demands of the workers for double time payment on Sundays, a guaranteed minimum of eight hours' work, and no change in the present roster for days off. The Minister said that under the terms of the award no provision was made for special Sunday rates except where the worker had exceeded the weekly or fortnightly prescribed number of working hours. Discussions between the parties took place before the holidays arising out of complains made by the union that conditions of work on Sundays had become particularly difficult due to overloading, largely on account of visiting servicemen. Some misunderstanding arose between the parties regarding the result of the conference, and the workers decided to work as usual on Christmas Sunday pending a further meeting of the union.

"During my visit to Auckland last week," said Mr. Webb, "I was informed that at a meeting of the union held between Christmas and New Year it had been decided not to run the buses on Sunday following New Year's Day unless double time was paid and a minimum of eight hours' consecutive work conceded. I informed the union through the secretary that the decision was a breach of the law and would affect the public in their holiday arrangements, and the Government would '/j forced to take stern measures if the decision of the union was adhered to. "It was explained to me that a rearrangement of hours of work on Sundays could be brought about which would ensure the workers a full eight hours' work, and in view of this I agreed to appoint a disputes committee under the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations to look into the matter with a view to finding a solution to the difficulty. "It comes as a surprise to me that the union has rejected the proposal to have the dispute dealt with by a special tribunal and has decided to refuse to work the buses on Sundays except for essential workers. I am hopeful, however, that the union will reconsider the position and .that the proposal to have the matter dealt with in the manner above suggested will be adopted, failing which it will be necessary to invoke the provisions of the law regarding illegal stoppages of work."