Emergency Regulations Invoked In Workshop Strike

Northern Advocate, 12 March 1941, Page 2

Emergency Regulations Invoked In Workshop Strike

[Per Press Association. Copyright.] WELLINGTON, This Day. APART FROM APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES, WHO ARE " NOT INCLUDED IN THE STRIKE AT THE HUTT RAILWAY WORKSHOPS, FEWER THAN 20 OUT OF A STAFF OF 800 REPORTED FOR DUTY AT THE SHOPS YESTERDAY.

A meeting of' the men had been called for 10 a.m. outside the workshop gates, but when the men assembled it was transferred to Hut-t ‘Park.

The chairman announced that the executive had been informed that the Emergency Regulations had been invoked, declaring the strike illegal, and therefore no reference could be made about the merits of the dispute.

Police Present. He also announced that Superintendent W. C. Lopdell, of the Police Department, was present, but he was quite sure that nothing would be said that would cause the cancellation of the meeting. Contacts had been made with other railway workshops in the Dominion and also other trade unions, and the attitude of these would be known .in a few days. Officials of several other unions present at the meeting said the matter would be considered by their unions in a few days.

Railway Servants and Railway Tradesmen’s Association meet independently today. Carpenters Pledge Support.

At a largely-attended meeting of members of the Wellington branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners last night, two speakers from the Hutt Workshops addressed the gathering. The following motion was carried: —

“This meeting sends fraternal greetings and sympathy to the workers in the Hutt Workshops in their fight for the principle of the 40-hour week. “We request the Government to pay the railway workshop employees the same rates of pay and employ them for the same hours as workers employed by private enterprise. “We pledge our support to the Hutt Workshops employees in their struggle and desire to make a donation towards the fund for the dependents of the strikers.”

The meeting 'was conducted in a most orderly manner. A picnic at Hutt Park was arranged for today. Munition Workers to Continue.

The men who have been working on munitions have received a letter from their union instructing them to remain on the job while the national executive meets and issues any subsequent instructions. “The inspectors of munitions,” says the letter, “are under the jurisdiction of the Defence Department,, and any refusal to perform duty would render you liable to penalties the army authorities may decide.” No further developments are expected until, after the executive councils "of the Amalgamated Sqciety of

Approximately 200 returned soldiers, members of the strikers, attended a meeting In the afternoon when exception was taken to remarks by Mr Semple that the trouble was caused by a few men “whose views were tihged With foreign philosophy.”