UNION VOTES £1000 AT CHRISTCHURCH FOR AUCKLAND CARPENTERS

Grey River Argus, 25 February 1949, Page 5

UNION VOTES £1000 AT CHRISTCHURCH FOR AUCKLAND CARPENTERS

Carpenters’ Quest for for New Employment P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 24 A grant of one thousand pounds for sustenance of the dismissed Auckland carpenters, and a motion ■supporting the New Zealand and Auckland unions in their claims, was passed unanimously by a meeting ol 250 members of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union this evening. A statement was made after the meeting, by the secretary, Mr F. L. Langley, it was as follows: —The meeting passed unanimous resolutions of solidarity behind the New Zealand and Auckland unions’ fight for a just wage increase, and for alterations to suburban work conditions. It unanimously agreed to make available immediately to the Auckland branch £lOOO for sustenance of the locked-out Auckland men. A resolution was also passed thanking Mr Roy Stanley, national secretary, for a clear and concise report on the dispute to date. Questioned, Mr Langley said that the membership of the Canterbury union was about one thousand. As the meeting to hear Mr Stanley was arranged at short notice, newspaper advertisements alone were used instead of the usual individual circulars to the members. Asked about the conditions of the grant, Mr Langley said that no stipulation had been made about repayment of the amount. AUCKLAND, Feb. 24.

No progress has been made towards a settlement of the dispute between the Auckland Master Builders’ Association and the Auckland Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union over the union’s go-slow policy. About 50 wives of unemployed carpenters heard the dispute reviewed by Mr D McEwan, secretary of the Auckland Carpenters’ and joiners’ Union. They .carried a resolution supporting the carpenters, and decided to appoint a women’s committee of 12 members. Derisive cries creeted the appearance of two dissenting hands when the first resolution was put to the meeting. The union office was busily engaged in directing the dismissed carpenters how to go about obtaining new employment and, failing that, to enrol for unemployment benefits. The Auckland Master Builders’ Associaton received advice from the president, of the New Zealand Master Builders’ Federation (Mr S. G. Shearer). He is investigating the dispute in Auckland and is expected to report to the federation when he returns to Wellington.

Small Vote at Union Meeting

WELLINGTON, Feb. 24. A complaint that a resolution of financial support for the Auckland carpenters, adopted at last nights meeting of the Wellington and Hutt Valiev members of the Carpenters and “Joiners’ Union, was carried by onlv a small majority, with many members refraining from voting, was made to-day by a member of the union. He said the voting figures were 121 in favour and 95 against. There were at least 324 members at the meeting, and more than 100 had retrained from voting, he said. No confirmation of these figures could be obtained to-day from t.ie district secretary,. Mr E. L. Tregowerth, who declined to add anything to the statement issued last night to the effect that the meeting was enthusiastic and well attendee! and the resolution had been carried.

Drivers’ Federation

Supports Carpenters

p.A WELLINGTON, Feb 24. The National Council of the New Zealand Drivers’ Federation, when is meeting in Wellington this week, endorsed the action of ‘the National Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour in supporting the carpenters in their dispute. The council of the federation also expressed concern at the lock-out which has been imposed on carpenters in the Auckland district.