FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REFUSED— No Social Security For Dismissed Carpenters

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1949, Page 3

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE REFUSED— No Social Security For Dismissed Carpenters

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 10. Carpenters who enrolled en masse for unemployment benefits at the Auckland social security office on February 22 have had their applications declined. The department notified the applicants individually that the circumstances giving rise to their claim had been carefully considered and that it had been decided that their case was not one for financial assistance from .the social security fund. The Carpenters’ Union has not replied to the request by the national executive of the Federation of Labour that the dispute be handed over to the federation. “Mass Victimisation’’ Alleged About 3000 workers, mostly watersiders, drivers, carpenters, and builders’ labourers, packed the grandstand in Carlaw Park for a stop-work meeting this afternoon. After hearing union leaders outline events in the carpenters’ dispute, they carried two resolutions. One resolution called on the Government to take action to end the “mass victimisation of carpenters” and the other expressed determination to fight victimisation by employers. .A minority among the audience staged a mild demonstration at the end of the meeting against the chairman (Mr J. Mitchell, of the Waterside Workers’ Union) when he suppressed questions and closed the meeting immediately alter the-resolu-tions, which he moved, had been carried.

Three speakers, Messrs Tl. Stanley, national secretary ol the Carpenters’ Union, E. Taylor, president of the Auckland Drivers’ Union, and 11. Barnes, national president of the Waterside Workers’ Union, stood in a steady drizzle to address the, men from a platform in front of the stand. The Otahuhu branch of the Amal*gamated Society of Railway Servants and the Otahuhu branch of the Railway Tradesmen’s Association, have resolved to ignore the order of the A.S.R.S. national executive to lift the boycott immediately. This was stated by Mr Mitchell at the IT] Pctl D / Trade’ unionists in a group that includes watersiders and drivers are circulating a petition asking lor a special meeting of the Auckland Trades Council to discuss the dispute. This action, it is believed, is being taken because of criticism by the council’s executive of the ‘’action committee,” which is considered o'V some to have usurped the functions of the council. Otahuhu Works Black The Otahuhu railway workshops have been placed on the black list for allegedly refusing to employ dismissed ‘carpenters. This was men-

tioned by Mr Mitchell, spokesman for the unions’ joint action committee, today. So far the workshops are the only Government department on the list, which includes four major private companies. Mr Mitchell said that three out-ol’-work carpenters had applied wilh indentures to the workshops for employment some days ago. They were informed they would not be engaged until such time as the department revised its policy not to employ the “locked out” carpenters. Asked.what effect the action of black-listing the workshops would have, Mr Mitchell said employees at Otahuhu were watching the position carefully. The boycott would operate as it did in the case of other employers. When Mr Mitchell’s statement was referred to the works manager, Mr F. W. Horrobin, he said it was news to him that the workshops were on the unions’ black list. Production was proceeding normally,, and he knew of no attempt to interfere with the flow of raw materials which came through the Railway Department’s district storekeeper at Otahuhu.

Mr Horrobin said he had been away and had been relieved until a few days ago by an official from Wellington. He was not aware that, the carpenters had been declined employment “until the department revised iis policy." J.f carpenters applied for work their names and addresses would be recorded and they would be sent for when they were required, as had always been done.

SHUNTERS DEFY WHARF BOYCOTT

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 10. Inward and outward loads of goods for the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company’s. cool stores on King’s Wharf and Export Wharf will continue to be delivered by shunters employed in the Auckland yard area in spite of the boycott imposed by the Auckland executive of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Instructions have accordingly been issued by the Railway Department to all stations io forward dairy produce and loads to the stores.

A. meeting this afternoon attended by approximately 70 shunters employed in the Auckland railway yards and wharves expressed strong disapproval of the Auckland executive action in imposing the boycott on handling produce consigned to the cool stores. The shunters, who are members of the Auckland branch of the A.S.R.S., said they were not.consulted when the boycott was imposed by their executive, but merely notified by rough notices posted round the yards. Wagons consigned for the cool in fact been handled by the shunters ever since the executive's boycott should have become effective on Monday night. ATTEMPT TO DISBAND ACTION COMMITTEE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 10. An industrial correspondent says the disaffected unions’ joint action committee has been called upon to disband by the executive of the Auckland Trades Council. He adds that the following resolution was passed: “That this executive is convinced that matters arising out of the carpenters' dispute have reached the stage xvhere industrial, conflagration on a national scale is imminent and the end of which cannot be foreseen but which may result in untold harm to the interests of the workers industrially and politically. We are emphatically of the opinion that the time is overdue for efforts to be made to obtain a settlement rather than an extension of the dispute. “This executive therefore calls upon the action committee to disband and to leave the conduct of affairs in the hands of the proper body, the Federation of Labour.”