“DIRECT ACTION” AGAIN

Evening Star, Issue 22595, 12 March 1937, Page 13

“DIRECT ACTION” AGAIN

CHEMICAL MANURE WORKERS OUT m WAITING FOR COURT SITTING [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 11. Over 300- employees at three chemical manure works —at Westfield, Otahuhu, and Te Papapa—stopped work this morning as the result of a dispute over wages which came to a head at a Conciliation Council meeting of representatives of the men and the employers on Wednesday night. A mass meeting of men from the three works, who are members of the Otahuhu Chemical Manure Workers’ Union, held at the Otahuhu works shortly after 9 o’clock this morning, decided that the employees would refuse to work until their demands had been conceded by the employers. The move towards a cessation of work was made by the employees at the Westfield works of Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co.’s New Zealand Drug Company Ltd., who held a meeting prior to the usual hour of commencing work._ After deciding to abstain from working, the employees', numbering about 80, proceeded to the Otahuhu works of the Challenge Phosphate Company Ltd., and delegates also approached the workers at the Te Papapa works of the New Zealand Farmers’ Fertiliser Company Ltd. The men ceased working at both places about 9 a.m. The dispute over wages developed from a comparatively small issue which wks raised at the Westfield works on Wednesday of last week. At Conciliation Council proceedings about a fortnight prior to that day ad agreement was reached between tho men and the employers on several points, but the question of wages was held over for consideration by the Arbitration Court, which is expected to open its sittings at Auckland in May. The Westfield works management was later requested to concede an increase in the wages of four men employed on the “ bank,” or, alternatively, to relieve the men and rotate this particular work. When the management decided to replace only two of the men a stop-work meeting was held. It was decided to insist on the wages question : being settled without having to wait until the Arbitration Court sitting, the men demanding that the employers should meet them in a further Conciliation Council sitting, and deciding to continue work pending the outcome of the conference. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr R. E. Price) arranged a meeting between the representatives, which was held on Wednesday night. The claim filed by the union asked for 2s 6d an hour for “ day men ” and 3s an hour for “ bank ” men and those employed on bluestone and lime sulphur. The schedule presented by the employers for consideration ~by the Arbitration Court offered “ day men ” a uniform rate of 2s OJd an hour without any differentiation. At the conciliation meeting the employers, it was stated to-day, made an offer containing an all-round increase of wages, but this was refused by the men, who demanded that their claim should be admitted and agreed to. The proceedings extended until nearly midnight, when they were abandoned, as no agreement could be reached.

It is understood that the men’s representatives informed the employers that unless their claims were granted they would resort to “ direct action.” The decision of the meeting to stop work was observed by all the men at the three works, but on representations of the respective managements a few of the shift men who are engaged in attending to the acid-making plants were allowed to remain on duty for a period not exceeding 24 hours. This concession was made out of the men’s knowledge that the process of manufacture cannot be abandoned at a moment's notice, as considerable loss and damage are involved to expensive plant. Officials' of the union declined to make any statement whether the position had been reached of a definite strike or whether the cessation was merely a demonstration of protest for one day. “Itis no use making a statement at this juncture of the proceedings,” was the only comment made by the union secretary. Unofficial statements by emplpyees, which were not confined or denied by officials, were to the effect that the men would report at the various works tomorrow morning and that developments would depend on the attitude of the employers towards the men’s claims. Staff men and the technical employees at the works are not affected. Numerous lorries which called at the works during the day for loads of manure for delivery to farmers had to return empty on account of the inability of the few remaining staff har-ls %o fill all the orders.

ALI-ROBHD INCREASE OFFERED [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 11. While declining to make any definite statement on the issues arisiug from the stoppage of work at the chemical manure works, the employers said they had made an offer of improved wages to all employees in an endeavour _to effect a settlement at the Conciliation Council. “ Although the men had invoked the Arbitration Court in the initiation of proceedings for a new award,” read a statement issued to-night. “ they took up the attitude that unless a settlement could be made in conciliation they would take ‘direct action.’ The employers naturally had to consider their farming customers equally with their employees, and in making the offer which they did of an increase all round they felt that they had done the utmost they could in the circumstances for the workers.” The following is the offer made, showing a comparison with the wages the men were receiving before the increase in the hourly rates due to the 40-hour week. The amounts quoted are hourly rates, the former rates being shown in parentheses:—

Day labour, new rate 2s 3d (Is lOJd). Chamber men, 2s 4|d (2s). Shift workers, 2s 4d (Is Hid). Men on “super, bank,” 2s 4d (Is 10|d). Unloading sulphur, day rates, 2s 6d (2s lid). Night shift, 2s 7d (2s 2Jd). When the dispute was referred to the Minister of Labour (Mr Armstrong) he said he had not received any official intimation of the trouble. The Minister did not make anv other comment.