INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 131, 18 May 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

WORK RESUMED AT PELAW MAIN.

Sydney, May 17,

The.Pelaw Main dispute has been submitted to a joint committee Work has been resumed.

LITHGOW STRIKERS

A COMMONSENSE PROTEST.

(Received 18, 11.15 a.m.) Sydney, May 18.

A meeting of Lithgo w trades unionists protested against the proposal for a one-day strike unless the imprisoned strikers were released.

AUCKLAND WATERSIDE WORKERS.

SHOULD THE UNION BE PROSECUTED !

Wellington, May 17,

In reference to the prosecution by the Labour Department of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union for inciting a strike, as some reflection is being cast upon the action of the department in prosecuting the union instead of the men concerned, the Minister has authorised the following statement to be published:— (1) It was on the advice of the Crpwn law officers that the union was prosecuted. (2) When the defence was raised in the Magistrate’s Court that in this ■jaso the union was not responsible cor the action of its officers, the Magistrate advised the inspector to withdraw the case and file it ! afresh in the Court of Arbitration in order bo settle the important question raised. This course was followed, and the Crown Solicitor was engaged by the department to conduct the case.

(3) Action is now being taken against the men concerned in regard to the decision of the Arbitration Court. At the hearing of the dispute between certain employers and the Waterside Workers’ ' Union in this -ase the court ruled that the cancellation of the registration of the union should not have been withheld by the registrar on the ground that the application for the cancellation was received by him before proceedings for the hearing of the dispute were commenced. The reply of the department is that it appears to have been stated in court that the date of commencement of the proceedings was ths 31st of January, one day after the application for the cancellation was received. The official advice received from Auckland by the registrar as to the date of commencement of the proceedings was January 9th (not 31st), 21 days before the application for the cancellation was received. It is required by the Act that when proceedings in an industrial dispute have been commenced, before an application for cancellation is made, the cancellation must be held over by the registrar until ■she dispute, is disposed of. The best cards given in were ACTION AGAINST INDIVIDUAL UNIONISTS. Auckland, May 18.

As a sequel to the dismissal of the charges of instigating an unlawful strike against the Waterside "Workers’ Union, the Inspector of Awards has filed summonses against James Collett, secretary, and 34 members of the union, claiming £2OO from the secretary and £lO each from the men. DRIVERS’ FEDERATION. DEMAND FOR DOMINION AWARD. The demands made on employers by the Drivers’ Federation for a Dominion award are particularly widp and bring every person v. ho employs a driver within its scope. I P to the present only employers within a radius of the larger towns have been included, whilst certain businesses have been exempt, but it is

now sought to include every employer and every class of business in the Dominion.

Driving in most cases is subsiduary to the general business of the employer, and an award for drivers might easily be made which would clash with the other awards governing the business and cause endless friction and annoyance. It will therefore be seen how great is the necessity for the utmost care in the drafting of a Dominion drivers’ award, which will at once be fair and reasonable to both sides, and St the same time suitable to all classes of business.

A meeting of employers will be held in the Grand Hotel, Hastings, on Monday night at 7.30 to discuss the position.

THAMES MINERS

NEW AGREEMENT WITH

EMPLOYERS

Thames, May IS. An industrial agreement between the mine owners and the Thames Miners’ Union has been definitely arranged. The general conditions and hours of labour are the same as in the old award, with a special clause added providing that in contracting where the whole of the contractors are co-partners, and no wages men are employed, no percentage is to be kept back for a longer period than one month. The only recognised holidays are from Christmas Day' to January 3rd inclusive. The Miners’ Union day schedule of wages, as agreed on, shows an all round increase over the old award, and is an increase on the existing Waihi agreement.

The matter was arranged at a friendly conference between represntativp of the miners and the! companies. TROUBLE AT REEFTON.

MINERS REFUSE TO OBEY AN ‘ ORDER.

STRONG FEELING AGAINST THE MANAGEMENT,

Serious trouble has arisen at the mines here. It has long been rumoured that- the Consolidated Gold Mines Company intended to'make the men work “poppers” singlehanded. The miners object to do this as the work is considered dangerous owing to vibration in the surrounding rock being likely to cause accidents. There are also other reasons. This morning the machine mdn were ordered at the Globe and Energetic mines to’work the “popperi.” single-handed, and ail refused to obey. They- were given their time sheets, and' twenty- men returned from Energetic mine and thirty from the Globe mine.

There is great excitement in the town and jt is almost certain that other trouble will eventuate. News from the Globo mine states that feeling against the company is very strong there.

Public feeling in greatly in favour of the men.