Power Board Makes Offer

Northern Advocate, 27 October 1947, Page 4

Power Board Makes Offer

AUCKLAND. Mon. (Sp.) Auckland Power Board's striking works staff returns to work the board will accept the decision of an independent person, following an investigation into the recent appointment of Mr C. W. Meikle as garage superintendent.

The board made this decision yes-' terday. A copy of the resolution was telegraphed to the Secretary of Labour (Mr H. E. Bockett.), and one was sent to the president of the Auckland Trades Council (Mr A. Drennan).

The telegram to Mr Bockett was: “Notwithstanding the board’s insistence on maintaining its right to appoint its own staff, it is desirous to do whatever is possible to avoid the continuance of the present trouble and the consequent inconvenience and loss lo the public.

“With this end in view, the board is quite prepared, provided always that all the men first return to work and provided also that all bans or restrictions imposed or induced by the unions or strikers are first cancelled and removed, to submit to the decision of an approved person the question of whether the board, in making the appointment in issue, has honestly and conscientiously abided by and acted within the principle of preference to existing employees as communicated in paragraph six of the letter from the board to the Electrical Workers’ Union of April 30. 1947. “It would, of course, be a condition that both the board and the men accept and abide by any decision given under such a reference.

“Paragraph six referred to above reads as follows:

“Adoption of fairer promotion system. Representations in this connection concern in the main only one man. It was pointed out that it is the board’s policy, wherever possible, to give preference to existing employees when, in the opinion of the board, they have the knowledge and the ability to undertake the work required. I think it will be conceded that the board must reserve the right to select the person who, in its opinion, is most suitable to carry out any particular work.” QUESTION OF REFEREE

The question of a referee in the dispute was discussed by, the secretary of the board (Mr N. M. Speer) in a telephone conversation with Mr Bockett last night. Mr Speer later said there was no reason to think there would be any difficulty in arriving at an agreement over the person who would conduct the inquiry. The secretary of the Trades Council (Mr W. Ashton) said last night that the Minister’s offer to appoint a deputy Judge of the Arbitration Court to adjudicate on the stoppage of work was received late on Friday night, and after the disputes committee had dispersed. The committee had not yet had an opportunity to discuss it. Apart from a meeting of the executive of the Electrical Workers’ Union on Saturday morning and a meeting of the switchboard operators on Saturday afternoon, both of which were attended by Mr Drennan, no gatherings of the workers had been held during the week-end.

The disputes committee of the Trades Council would meet at 8 o'clock tonight, when the further developments would be discussed.