LABOUR DISPUTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 February 1939, Page 6

LABOUR DISPUTES

SEVENTY-TWO STOPPAGES OF WORK LAST YEAR WAGE LOSS TO WORKERS TOTALS*' £42,104 According to the Abstract of Statistics, 72 industrial disputes involving a stoppage’ of work took place in the Dominion during 1938—the highest number since 1925. The number of workers concerned totalled 11,388, and the loss of wages to the workers was £42,104.

The industry most affected was coal mining, in which there were 20 disputes. The duration of the stoppages was 60 days, 4367 workers being involved and the loss of wages totalling £17,691. Statistics for other major industries show that waterfront stoppages totalled 17. They spread over 82 days, 1643 workers being involved and the loss in wages totalling £15,803. In meat-freezing works there were 12 stoppages occupying 23 days. In all, 3000 workers were involved, the loss in wages being £6048. Throughout the Dominion 103 firms were affected by the stoppages, the total duration being 287 days. The only month in which there was any relaxation in disputes of the nature quoted was December, which was entirely free of any major stoppages of work. Up to September there had been 56 cases under the heading of industrial disputes (strikes or stoppages of work), involving 8262 workers. During October and November some of the major disturbances of the year occurred notably in Auckland. In this period there were a further 16 stoppages, in which 3126 workers were concerned. Since 1925 the number of disputes and the workers involv.d have been: 1925 83 and 9905 1926 59 and 6264 1927 38 and 4476 1928 39 and 9258 1929 47 and 7151 1930 38 and 5467 1931 24 and 6356 1932 23 and 9355 1933 15 and 3558 1934 24 and 3773 1935 12 and 2323 1936 43 and 7354 1937 52 and 11411 1938 72 and 11388 The estimated loss in wages during these periods is:— £ 1925 49,149 1926 32,355 1927 11.819 1928 22.304 1929 26.940 1930 37.299 1931 44.544 1932 105.715 1933 59.334 1934 7,121 1935 15,266 1936 12.886 1937 32.129 1938 42.104