NGAHERE DISPUTE

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1940, Page 2

NGAHERE DISPUTE

OTHER BHedGES NO’t AFFECTED Meetings; of the -Westland Dredge Workers’ Union arid the West Coast Trades and Labour Council were held at Greymouth over the week-erid, to consider the dispute between the Ngahbre Gold Dredging Company and its employees, 30 of whom have been dismissed, and resolutions in sup - port of the workers were carried. It was decided by the Union, however, that, in the meantime, the dispute should be localised, and that voluntary be collected to assist, the dismissed men and their families. . The, meeting .of the Union, yesterday afternoon, was presided over by Mr. J. Laing (President), and there was afi attendance of 234 members,, in addition to Union officials, delegates from the Ngahere dredge'and representatives of (the Trades Council. It was resolved that. the Union support the attitude of the men on the Ngahere Dredge; that the dispute should, in . the meantime, ,be localised; that the Union give the fullest moral and 'financial, support to the men locked out; and that delegates from all jobs and dredges, immediately organise voluntary contribution lists to assist the men and their families..

Another, decision was that members of the Union (except the watchmen, Who are still employed on the dredge), should not accept employment at the Ngahere dredge until the dispute; ends. It was decided to deny Mr. Davis’s assertion that the Ngahere dredge had been “singled out” for special treatnibnt, dnd to give publicity to the fact that it has been the policy of the Union since 1938, that, where no mutual agreement is reached by the Union and the employers regarding the taking.of annual holidays, as pro* vided- in. Clause 7 of the. Award, and statutory holidays,, .as provided by Clause 6 of .the same Award, these holidays be takeri immediately they become due. The offers made by the Union officials last week, on behalf of the men, that they would resume work on Tuesday, if they . were paid for the day lost, and on Wednesday and Friday, when two and four days’ pay-? ment was asked, were also approved by the meeting. . TRADES COUNCIL’S MOTIONS. The delegates to the West Coast Trades and Labour Council met on Saturday. The official report stated that the meeting fully endorsed the action of the men on the Ngahere dredge, and approved their claim for payment of wages due, those .present expressing the opinion that the men had been locked out by the company. The Council promised the fullest support to the men on the dredge and their .Union, and held over further action until the special meeting of the Union. ~ It was also decided to request the Minister of Labour (Mr. Webb) to visit Greymouth as soon as possible, and to discuss the whole matter with representatives of the Council and the Union. The Council also set up a Combined Support Committee to conduct the whole negotiations in conjunction with the Union, and to assist in securing financial support for the men. The Committee comprises four representatives of the Trades Council, Messrs A. J. Panther, J. Finlay, J. Pratt and D. Barnes, and lour from the Union, the President (Mr. J. Laing) and Secretary (Mr. D. Faris) and Messrs R. Scott and R. Davis. The West Coast Councillor on the Federation of Labour (Mr. J. Doyle), who will attend a meeting of the Federation at Wellington on Wednesday, will be a:c ‘nna.i. d y representative of the 1... , state the case for the men.