WATERSIDE WORKERS’ FEDERATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4458, 27 January 1917, Page 5

WATERSIDE WORKERS’ FEDERATION.

CONFERENCE WITH EMPLOYERS

(Press Association Telegram.) WELLINGTON; Jan. 26. . A conference between representatives of employers of waterside labor and representatives -of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation commenced at Wellington on Thursday.

After the waterside federation representatives had presented their case, the employers requested an adjournment till the afternoon. When the conference resumed, the employers intimated that they could not- take the responsibility of agreeing to an increase of wages or to alter, working conditions, ana suggested that the Federation should take the necessary steps to have the matter referred to the Conciliation Council, and, if necessary, to the Arbitration Court. Tbis the representatives of the Waterside Workers’ Federation could not see* their way to agree to, and a further adjournment .till this afternoon was decided upon, to enable both parties to consider their position.

Upon resuming this afternoon, the employers intimated that they had decided, if the Federation could not see its way to agree to the suggestion already made, that the employers would take steps to have the matter dealt with under the provisions of the. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, andl if tlhe Federation representatives agreed then both parties should apply to the court to appoint two expert assessors, one representing each side. After a short adjournment, Hie Federation representatives returned and stated that they could not see their way to agree to the matter being dealt with by the Conciliation Council or the Arbitration Court.

The conference then concluded