EMPLOYERS' ATTITUDE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 6 July 1939, Page 12

EMPLOYERS' ATTITUDE

FERTILISER WORKS STRIKE CASK FOR COURT OF ARBITRATION AUCKLAND. sth July. • Employers note, by the most recent statement in the Press, that unions invite impartial investigation of their working conditions and that they are awaiting acceptance of the workers’ proposals made on 27th June to negotiate for a settlement,” says a statement issued to-day on behalf of the com-

panics operating the Otahuhu. Westfield i and Te Papapa chemical manure works ; where employees have been on strike : for the last 10 days. -So far as the employers are cor, 1 corned, they consider that the workers grievance is not against the employer. ; but against the decision of the Court of < Arbitration, made in October. 1938. In ; April, 1938, the employers made an of- < Ler of lid increase in wages to workers. but this they declined to accept, and preferred that the question should ■ be referred to the Court of Arbitration. “In regard to the proposal that an , impartial investigation be made, the employers wish to state that previous to the decision of the Court of Arbitration, made in October. 1938. the Court spent a full day in investigat- .

ing working conditions at three fer- j 1 Riser works in the Auckland district j so that it would appear that all working conditions were taken into account) before the award was made. “Recognising that workers were dis-j satisfied with the terms of the Court! of Arbitration award, the employer; j agreed to join with them in asking the Court to terminate the award as from) 14th June, 1939. This was done to afford the workers an opportunity of re*| stating their case to the Court of Arbi-', tration, but was not an admission by the employers that wages should be in-; creased. "The award terminated by order ol j the Court of Arbitration on the date) mentioned, and it now rests with the workers to refer the matter to the j Court of Arbitration, which is the only properly constituted impartial tribun-j al set up for the purpose of settling j labour disputes. The employers, on their part, have no alternative but te, accept the decision of the Court of Arbitration, and it is surely up to, workers to do likewise. “Inconvenience caused to farmers; through non-delivery of fertilisers is. entirely the result of workers taking direct action instead of stating their; case to the Court of Arbitration.” I