Mr Webb as Peacemaker

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1939, Page 6

Mr Webb as Peacemaker

* i“'i HE latest development in the Auckland fertiliser strike is the I appointment ot a disputes committee under the Labour Dis- “ putes investigation Act, and the Hon. P. C. Webb, Minister of Labour, is to act as chairman. The Act provides for a neutral chairman, and both the employers and the striking workmen have paid Mr. Webb the compliment of accepting him. in this capacity, thus giving him an early opportunity to gam personal experience of the handling of a dispute after the de-registration of a union under the terms of the amended legislation introduced during the past week. _ Whatever its eventual outcome, the fertiliser strike already provides evidence of the loss resulting from such action. Several Hundred workers have already lost more than three weeks’ wages. At the best, it seems that they will Jose a full month’s pay before it is all over. The loss falls not so much on the men themselves as on their wives and families, and it will take a long time to make it up, even if they get the increased wages for which they have gone on strike. The federation of Labour is doing something to ameliorate their position by granting them strike pay, but so far they have only received £1 each, which will not go very far. No doubt the eventual outcome of the strike will depend a good deal on the attitude of Mr. Webb at the conference between the representatives of the two parties.