UNIONS CANNOT AGREE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 22 March 1938, Page 6

UNIONS CANNOT AGREE.

(WASTING TIME OF ARBITRATION ' COURT. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night.

That the related workers' unions would compose their differences before going to the Court of Arbitration was the wish expressed by Mr. Justice O’Regan, president of the Court, during the hearing of the Dominion bricklayers’ dispute. Representatives of four workers’ unions other than the New Zealand Bricklayers’ Federation appeared to protest against certain of the federation’s proposals, which were presented by Mr. H. W. Mayo. Mr. E. C. Weavers, representing the Wellington Plasterers’ Union, objected to the inclusion of the words “trowelling floors” in the bricklayers’ award, claiming that this was plasterers’ work. He was followed by Mr. J. Hewitt, secretary of the Wellington Tilers’ Union, who objected to all classes of tiling work being included. His Honour: A great deal of the time of the Court has been wasted, since I have been here at any rate, in settling matters not only as between employers and employees but as between union and union.

Two further objections were yet to come. Mr. C. Nicholls, representing the New Zealand Stonemasons’ Union, asked for all work in artificial stone to be reserved to members of his union, and Mr. L. Glover, secretary of the Municipal and General Labourers’ Union, asked for the retention of the words “in brick work’’ after the words “cutting openings and chases.”

His Honour: So far we have been occupied with matters which should have been settled by the different unions before they came here. You cannot expect the Court to know all about these things. You would expect unions as a matter of policy to come to some agreement.

Mr. Weavers said the Plasterers' Union representatives had met the bricklayers but had been unable to agree. Since the other union was adamant he had no option but to appear in Court.