LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14928, 28 February 1912, Page 8

LABOURERS' DISPUTE.

EMPLOYERS STAND FIRM. POSITION GROWING ACUTE. MR. FOWLDS AS MEDIATOR. AN UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT. The dispute between the General Labourers' Union and the employers has not yet reached a settlement, and the potion is growing somewhat acute. The <hji. plovers are firmly adhering to their decision not to discuss the point* at issue oataide the Arbitration Court. The men, ©a the other hand, are using every effort to bring about a conference between the various local bodies and themselves. Resolutions of sympathy with this line of action by the officials of the union chiefly concerned and the representatives of thd Federation of Labour, have been carried by the Drivers', Coacbworkers', and Tram* waymen's Unions. All have condemned the stand taken by the Mayor and City Council and the other local bodies.

Yesterday an appeal was made by the men to the Hon. George Fowlds to act as mediator, with a view of inducing the employers to consent to a conference. Mr. Fowlds consented, but his efforts did not meet with success, and the deadlock continues.

HARBOUR BOARD'S ATTITUDE. READY TO MEET ITS OWN MEN. - The request of the Auckland Builders*, Contractors', and General Labourers' Union, that the Harbour Board should meet it in conference regarding wages, has given rie» to several discussions at the Board meetings. Yesterday the Board recommended from committee that the request should be declined. Mr. H. D. Heather moved as an amendment, "That the Board would at any time be pleased to meet a deputation from its employees if they had any matter which ti they wished to bring under the Board's attention; but as the Board was a party . to the Arbitration Court award, it could not recognise any union not registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act." This, Mr. Heather said', was the attitude taken up by the City Council, and in that case had led to most happy results. The amendment was seconded pro forma by Mr. Bagley, who said that the position seemed to be quite unfair The Board paid 15 guineas a year as a member of the Employers' Association, yet it declared that it was prepared to deal with its eaiplovees independently. Mr. J. E. Taylor said the attitude taken by the local bodies appeared to be an attempt to disrupt unionism. He had a further amendment to move. Mr. A. J. Entrican said ho had as much, svmpathy with the men the Board em* ployed as any member, but he thought they sometimes needed to be saved from themselves. They did not always take a wise view of the position. The general claim for an increase in wages to 10s per day, and for a week of only 42 hours a day. .. would involve an enormous increase in the cost of work. If it was granted, it would be. the worst day the federation had ever < had, because the 'local bodies would bo compelled to cut down their public worts. \ He believed in every man* haying a fair land a good wage; but he thought the I Boards workers did get such a wage, If ; , they had anything to complain about, the Board would hear them. mm The amendment was carried. r*M ill-. Taylor moved a further amendment i to set up* a special committee to consider the matter fully before the ; Board camera ' a final decision, - and Mr. •<?.;-Ba^T .seconded this. .".. . • ' ■ ~■ ■■„. *.* ' ' Mr. P. Virtue said the Board seemed to be afraid to meet tho federation. Mr. Alison said the Board was a lawabiding body, and when the position -.was. covered bv * legislation -why should they discuss it "outside the law with men from outeide the province? Whatever j the ■ ; points in dispute, the law proofed a method for settlement, and he could not understand why the matter should c me up for discussion time after time. The second amendment was lost. in -' ARBITRATION OR STRIKS? TIME THE PUBLIC TOOK A HAND. Discussing with a Herald representalive the resolutions passed by the anion* sympathetic to the general labourers, f V» Mayor (Mr. C. J. Purr) said that the men concerned ignore the real issue, which *J - —strike or arbitration as the method >. settling industrial disputes. All the employers of general labour m Auckland, before the City Council came into tho mat* ter at all, had decided that they won.i not confer with a union which had broken i away from the Arbitration Act. As »* employers put it. they are only Kite from persistent worry and change under » award or agreement made before the Jiioi" tratidn Court or the Conciliation Council. •' Employers say," continued the Mayor, "that they are tired of the bludgeon * strike being held over them daily b\ unions outside the Act. The plain question, therefore, for the public (who ara just as much interested as the union* .=. . • Are wo to tolerate a state of ttmtfi under which a general strike may » called at any moment!" One of the leading officials « "J 9 Federation of Labour," continued 3". Parr " told me publicly three months V* that'his federation could paralyse New Zealand. If this be true it is time- «w general public took a hand in the game. Is it good enough that, because of .a dispute between a contractor and his. mm over a drainage question, the •»!».- general labour of Auckland should in ftantlv be called out on strike? "11» reasonable or safe that the pubb? ** vices of the city should be in peril Jocause, perhaps, of some dispute at tno Bluff between a man and his employees. Yet these are the pretensions of the Federation of Labour. t ot ° £ °' ?£ they were put into practice three tAW ago y when our men at the destructor ana waterworks were called out because of a trivial dispute between a drainage con tractor and his men. . . '--"■} "It is well that we should know.jw* where we are," the Mayor observed. . "We must make up our nunds-whetnw the whole arbitration system «i to » . swept off the Statute Book *!«!***£« we are to go back to the barbarian methods of force and intimidation. The Mayor concluded by statu* tto* it had been suggested to him f«g that he should meet the officials ot we Federation of Labour now in the city w» discuss the situation and hear their views. In reply he intimated that as theUty Council"were already discussing mauera directly with their own men, and *5 w» Works Committee was meeting this wee* to bring up a report on the whole subject. the intervention of any third party **? likely to do more harm than gcod. »• : therefore saw no reason to confer 'lid the labour officials. If the latter hart anything to say to tho City Conned, Jehad informed those who had o **"} him that the officials in question MJ better put then- case in writing. *!"■« upon he would see that it was placed M fore the Council. . -. - ;