NO SETTLEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23728, 8 November 1940, Page 7

NO SETTLEMENT

AUCKLAND BUTCHERS' DISPUTE DISSATISFIED WITH AWARD [Per United Press Association.] , AUCKLAND, November 7. No agreement wae reached at a conference of representatives of the Auckland Master Butchers’ Association and the Auckland Butchers’ Industrial Union of Workers, held to-day to discuss the workers’ wages grievances. At a special meeting of the workers held last Sunday a resolution was adopted in favour of a strike in the event of the grievances not being settled by this week-end. Another iPeeting of the workers is to be held on Sunday, when the position will be reviewed in' the light of the conference. Tlie workers’ grievances originated in their dissatisfaction with the wages fixed in the new award which was made by the Arbitration Court last month and came into operation on October 28. The wages for butchers and assistants in the retail butchery shops and allied establishments were fixed at the same rates as in the old award. The claim filed by the union sought increases in wages ranging from 12s 6d for female assistants to £1 for first shopmen. At last Sunday's meeting it was stated that several of the large employers had been voluntarily paying above the award wages. One firm was stated to have made a bonus payment of os for seniors and ds for juniors for several weeks prior to the new award being made, and another firm had made increased payments last week on the first pay day following its operation. In addition to seeking higher rates than those provided for in the award, the workers are insisting that any increases granted voluntarily by the employers or as a result of agreement in conference should be embodied in the award. Those views were submitted by the workers’ representatives at today’s conference, but were rejected by the employers’ representatives. ' The following statement was issued by the employers at the conclusion of the discussions: —“The employers stated that the dispute was considered by the Arbitration Court. They, therefore, cannot agree to the demands of the union, as they are of the opinion that the award should be, binding on both parties. The employers are not prepared to depart from the terms of the award.” The secretary of the union, Mr W. E. Sill, who. with three other delegates, represented the workers at the conference, said ho could not make any statement, as a report on the conference had to be made to a general

meeting of employees on Sunday. In the meantime ho could only confirm that no progress had been made. The award covers all butchers’ shops which employ labour within a 22-mile radius of Auckland. It is stated that fully 400 workers are involved in tho dispute.