GAS WORKS DISPUTE

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1945, Page 2

GAS WORKS DISPUTE

VICTIMISATION ALLEGED

AUCKLAND, April 26. Retort house workers at the Auckland gas works declared a strike today because the Auckland Industrial Manpower Committee had dismissed the appeals of two of their number who had been directed to other work. When they left the works there was enough gas in the holders to last until midnight. The strike leaders indicated that the men would not return to work until the two directed men had been reinstated. The decision to strike was made at a meeting of the men which started in the works at noon. The meeting was not sanctioned by the union, which was not consulted before the strike decision was reached. When the secretary of the union, Mr. A. Bell was approached after 4 p.m. the men had noi advised him that they were on strike, he said. It had been intended by the union to hold a- meeting on Sunday to discuss the appeal committee’s decision in respect of the two men who had been directed away from the works, and that meeting would still be held. There were no union officials at to-day’s meeting. The direction of two retort house workers, Arthur Vincent Stickings and James Norman, to other work resulted in a strike at the works last month. Retort house workers took exception to the action of the manpower authorities, alleging victimisation because the two men had been prominent in union affairs at the works. It was explained officially that the men were directed to other industries to enable the release of two grade one men for Army service. On the following day the men decided to resume worn pending the hearing of appeals against the directions./The Industrial Manpower Commit Tee heard both appeals last Monday, and dismissed them.