PETROL DISTRIBUTION

Evening Star, Issue 22684, 25 June 1937, Page 8

PETROL DISTRIBUTION

AUCKLAND FLEET TIED UP DRIVERS DEMAND FORTY-HOUR WEEK ALSO RETROSPECTIVE PAY DISPUTE CONCERNS 4,000 MEN THROUGHOUT DOMINION [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND. June 26. The whole of Auckland’s petrol distributing fleet was tied mp this morning as the result of the drivers ceasing work as a protest against not being granted the 40-hour week. Forty drivers in Auckland. City are affected, A conference is in progress between representatives of the union and the. companies in an endeavour to effect a settlement. The_ men concerned are covered by the Northern Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Southland, and Otago motor and horse drivers’ award, and the drivers employed throughout New Zealand number 4,000. Representatives of the union contend that under their award they are entitled to a 40-hour week instead of a 44-hour week, and state that they are seeking retrospective payment from December 21 last, when the award came into force. Tbe possibility of trouble developing was known to a number of garages and petrol retailers during the week, and extra supplies were laid in. ABORTIVE CONFERENCE NO IMMEDIATE SHORTAGE A conference held this morning between representatives of the oil companies and the union proved abortive. The _ Conciliation Commissioner, who presided, said no statement would be made. There doss not appear to be any immediate danger of a shortage of petrol supplies in Auckland, but the position nevertheless is viewed with concern. The manager of an Auckland taxi company operating 200 cars said that those engaged in the taxi industry hoped for a speedy settlement, as, despite large stocks carried, the position was likely to soon become serious. All drivers employed Jby the oil companies with distributing depots in Dunedin were working to-day, and there was no suspicion that they intended adopting the tactics of the Auckland drivers. ,