THE BUTCHERS STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17329, 28 November 1919, Page 9

THE BUTCHERS STRIKE.

FAILURE OF CONFERENCE. ATTITUDE OF EMPLOYERS. ADHERENCE TO THE AWARD. UNION DEMANDS FLAT RATE. BOTH SIDES REMAIN FIRM. I he hers' strike remains unsettled. A fuithrr conference, which at. certain Mage? iiv-k a very stormy form, was hold yesterday afternoon between represents liver of the master butchers and of the. biit< hers' union in the hope of arriving at .> settlement of the trouble, but after a discussion thai lasted about an hour and a half it broke up without having come to ..: ;. rsinrlusmn. Hie Conciliation Commis hU'iirr. Mr. T. Ilarle Giles, presided. The same delegates were present as on Monday i enmg with the add,lion of Mr. (i. L. knight, a master butcher, on the side of trie employer?. Mr. >. K Wright, advocate fur the master butchers, reporting the. result of the meet of the previous evening, said all thi Pinpiu\rrs in the trade with tho exception of one or two who owned suburban shops attended it. As it, had been stated by Mi. Sill, secretary to the union, on .Monday evening that the small butchers " rrc .it the dictation of the two large i>>mpaiiifs, these gentlemen were specially asked t.u give their opinions, and the statement as to their subjoi tion to the companies .-imply raised a laugh. The, meeting was absolutely unanimous in adopting a resoluti ;: that the master butchers must uphold the Arbitration Courts award. However, on Monday next a butchers' dispute Mould It; belore the Arbitration Court in Wellington, continued Mr.

"Wright. This rase was an original dispute .<nd not, mere.lv an application for amend -.-.rill, it an award as in the Chxistchurch llunediu, and Auckland cafes. No doubt lite Court would go very thoroughly iiitc ail the circumr.tances of the trade. It would have before it the Government Statistician's latest figures as to the full i nst of living, including those relating t-c oothing. fuel and light, and no doubt a v if? deeifinu will be arrived at. The ..ward in that rase would undoubtedly hi 1 ;r> ■ kirsr award" of New Zealand, and the < Tier centres would in due course he brought into line. If it* terms proved "fwtier than those of the Auckland award lie local union would have its constitutional remedy of being able to apply to the t'<iurt for a revision of its own terms of employment. The Fatal Union Ultimatum. Proceeding. Mr. Wright said Mr. Sill Kid hem correct In his statement that the "New Z-a-land Employers' Federation advo- . -..ted employers meeting their men in conference. If" the union, instead of facing 1 V Auckland employers with an ultimatum ~ th« ot.tset, had asked for a conference ~;ip would probably havo been granted. To the representatives of the. union he w,.iud say that the attitude of the unt'n's t. preventatives throughout the dispute; ''iev had taken before the Arbitrator (niirt and in the newspapers had not, beer fich as to encourage the emploveT t< inept, them in conference. In every in ►tal:rn they had done thiir utmost U Ivacken the employers in the eyes of the 1 ur>li<-. rather than" try to makj good theh , \~_. case. When wc-kors in general ap Trodihed their employers at any time h< had ne\er found the employers averse tf. nesting them and dircmssing 'he problem! thai cropped up. Tn the present case h< v i-hed to emphasis* the fact that th« rinpiover* were absolutely unanimous ir iip: v decision. The Union's Behaviour. Mr. Sill said he did not. think there wai anything worth saying, in view of thi cmplo\er a ' attitude! While lie regrettec lii.: necessity, he supposed things woulc have to go on as they were. Mr. Wngh had attempted to make an apology, bu had practically told the uiiion that tb behaviour of its members in the past wa, responsible for the attitude of the em plovers. Mr. Wrght : I did not say that. Mr. Sill; But that is what you wishe* to imply. You feel a little sore, am vnu think you would IJVe to tell the mem b»rs of the union " If, in the future, yoi will alter your behaviour, thing- will b different."" I don't think there is an; union in New Zealand that has acted a •■ell as we have, as far *s the employer are concerned. Tn cases that we havi liken to Court we havo not dons as Mr Wright fays. It is true that during th. la. three "months we have had to tell thi publu certain things tho employers do no lik- Nevertheless, they have been quit< line, and tho employers themselves stanr . '.ndemned because they have not mei the union in the right spirit. I never me: i-.pti .-o hard to deal w»th as the Mastei -•. . j

1 repeat thai the association is simply a oil" man association. •" We have come hero to see if the ma.-tor butchers had anything to offer," . .-.ntinued Mr. Sill. "If they have not, ■■■ c can't help i' 1 suppose they have ii' laved the matter at long as possible to >■>•!• now they stood, and they havo come !•■ the conclusion that probably they are i" a. fairly strong position, and can afford i,. take this stand. On thus occasion, as • -i others. they have declined to reason ii out. They simply want t«> use their <- ■ notnic force, but if they gain a victory and they haven't got it yet -it will be s. expensive to them as to us." Complaints by the Men. lie employers, Mr. Sill contended, had • i nipt the men in the proper spirit, but i '" attitude was the. attitude they had at'*\s adopted. ~'"hev had always ignored lie union, probably because 1 hey thought t'-.■•■■ . '.nld afford to do so. Now was the i:m" lo .orget the. past and look into the >j lotion whether the men had real i.'i ipvanoep. The union had given constitutional methods a very " fair spin," and ti'i-i, «a- not a Butchers' Award in New -Maud to-day lower than Auckland's. 'I he employers v.ere a thousand vears behind the times, said Mr. Sill. Every; • • k'. bad to bow and scrape to them, a >' take what wife tfi\en him. Let. them i.il-.e that attitude if they uished. There ',-. mom .derate body of men in '•..■■<. /.calami than hi- union. and no more. -1c',,1. -.-. rctary than himself. ■' .But," i ii< i ided Mi-, Siil, •■ we. are not going to t-.i,' '•. '■: tlnrii: lying down." No Ballot Taken. Mr ('. V. Lane, president of the Master Fit.hei-' As."-.' lati'.n, said lie thought '!: --ii! w;,i playing to || 1( > gallery, Per- ' ■'!'.. be did not think the union had iid any real it.- ,i. t-» whether it should ■ '•I.- .mi Ik did not think ,j majority '■• tin-mho. had been in favour of '•i,.-. 1 lie notir-f! calling its meeting !. ' ■-11• I n .tin,i.; about a strike, but had '•■I tl-a: l!',- Inis!nr.-s "as to ho "to < ■. hi.a- w.ic' " A tremendous number •' tic iiitiiihiiv Hi'vi-i attended union '''"'i.:- 'I he able and steady men "ill : "■ i 1 ii. .el i from 11,,, union side, • ' '' ; tabic At a .-. rate, he majority ! 1" in lid «■■' 1,. .hi i,, -, much horsei; <- ■" ■ i '-i -.1 «!,,. rr,.., tin--. (Further I'-'' ■ ' --.' '•'•! I think. Mr. I.aiu . ': '■ ' i- i. t. ke t ,a: ;,tlit,;d. I '■" p,„ ... ]. ,!,.. ,„..,,.„,. AT ,. _~„.,( ' ' '■'-.'--■■ .ii • • I'., l.uii hei .. and '" ' •!• i'lc; j ~,,, l| n ~-;,, .... '' ■■■>■•■ I ... i .... rrfh-etion upon ".■ .1 .Liirett. c,„ <■! the nni'. dele '"• "'" lure! !-,,_., are quite c,, ,t,,|. .' ....i ale conducted a- uri; the •>•-•-'.i::us "l anv m her union. i. r HA a,n\ ' : "•" > tin.-s held in Auckland. Mi >ill interjei.-t.v) that at the Ma.-1.-i foii. '"- r..' .Woriution -tines no other Tu.in had nx ni-iny -.otes as Mr. Lane. Mi Lane: But those vote* have never lr -ii put. iced Mr. Lane went on t.-> i th.it after the 5, increase wa-i awarded :■ butch' :n O. t.iKe' the anion t0..)-;

things into its own hands and decided to strike. No ballot was taken. Some of his company's men attended further meetings, and he believed they asked, for a ballot. Mr. Jarrett: The man who asked for it was out of order. Mr. Sill: They could not ask for a ballot on the question of a strike. Mr. Lane denied that the men had any real grievance. Their wages approximated to those paid in other cities and in similar trades. No other similar ttado was receiving a minimum wage of £4 that was asked for. If the butchers got it every other trade would naturally want it. and that must go on to the cost of living. Tho commissioner, when opening Monday's conference, had been mistaken in saying that the Hawke's Bay i agreement had been one of the causes of , tho dissatisfaction of the Auckland work- , ers. As a matter of fact, that agreement . did not come out tall about a fortnight after notice of intention to strike was given. It had nothing whatever to do with the case. Men's Legal Course. Whatever was the cause of the discontent, said Mr. Lame, the union's legal course would have been to move the Arbitration Court 'for a revision. In the meantime there might have been a conference with tho employers. He did not \ think the majority of the men were in I favour of a strike to-day. Many had : gone back to work, perfectly satisfied with their former rate of wages. did not know why they ever went out. Mr. Jarrett: Haven't they been offered special inducements'; Mr. Lane : No. Mr. Jarrett: Haven't they been told that if they didn't come back soon they wouldn't come back at all - ' Mr. Lane: I don't say anything about that. Mr. Lane maintained that the Arbitration Court was the only possible , judge a to what was a fair living wage. The workers must abide by its decisions, just as the employers did. If the Court said that £4 was a fair living wage the employers would have to pay it. The commissioner expressed disappointment at the failure to come to an understanding. He had hoped the consideration that would be given at Wellington to the cost of clothing, fuel, and light, as factors in the cost of living hitherto unregarded, would have shown a way out of the difficulty. Clothing was undoubtedlv » most serious item to a family

man. He had hoped the employers wouli offer consideration of this point. Legally their position was a tenable » fore© could compel them to alter thei attitude, but he had hoped to receive ai offer from them. He understood, how ever, that after the Wellington award wa, made the Auckland employers would b> prepared to meet their employees. Mr. Wright: 1 did not say that. I sail that if the employers got a request fron the employees they would be prep&red t< consider it. The Commissioner: But you do not sa; I you -would be bound by the award in Wei lineto't- | The Court Must Rule. Mr. Wright: l\"o. W 8 are not going to buy a pig in a poke. Wo will makt no" promise. Wo do recogTLU-» that tht Wellington awaid is going to be the kins award, which will be extended to tht ether centres in time. We will .K>t, makt any offer which would override th« .Arbitration Court, the highest authority in the Dominion in this matter. Mr. Wright pointed out that the >-hi tration Court had already taken into account the. cost of clothing etc. Whereas the statistician's figures showed •" ?5 pe> cent, increase in regard to tho food groups, that percent ago h:..d been added to the whole of a Iran's wages, and not merely to the proportion he spent, upon food. * Some got 40 per vent, increase. Mr. Sill said the butchers went from 19K to 1916 without any increase in wages, and throughout that period the cost of living was in ere? sing. Anyhow, the statistician's figures as to food had been shown to be wrcng in regard to the price of meat in Auckland. The commissioner said it would be> unreasonable to expert that the employers should bear the whole of the increase in the <*>rt of living. Still, he had not heard the question of clothing, light, and fuel I raised at any of his council tables. j Mr. Wright said that ' without nor-f I authoritative body to decide what was th« cost of living there could be no finality. The statistician was that authority Mr. Lane said there were no men wit! families laceiving only the Court's mini m'tm rate. Union's Waga Demand. Mr. Sill contended that any man wh<received less than £4 a veek was under paid. No centre in New Zealand paic such low wages to butchers as Auckland. Mr. Wright admitted that the award.' in Christchurch and Dimedin were 2s s week higher than in Auckland for first shopmen. Is higher for second shopmen and 6d higher than the lowest men Few men, however, were getting only tht minimum. Mr. R. Hard man said that if th< j butchers got a decent flat rate they coulc I bei'in grading according to merit as to tht I more responsible position?. Mr. Wright emphasised the fact that the employers were paying in most cases more than the Court's nvnimum rates. If the Court was to be any good to either employers or union it must 1 .-> upheld. | Mr. Sill declared that the Cour*, made

its award in a disgraceful way. He could ' quite understand that the employers liked the Court, and were not going to " turn it down." Mr. Lane assured the commissioner that he and his colleagues weie. bound bv the unanimous resolution of Wednesday's meeting. In further discussion, Mr. Wright undertook that when the Wellington award was made he would use his influence with his principals to get there, to meet, the union and discuss the position. He could not make any promise as to an award regarding which he as yet knew nothing. Mr. Jarrett said it, was evident Mr. Wright meant that if the award was a poor one for the butchers the employers would be willing to meet the men. Powers of Delegates. Mr. dm an said the union delegates were empowered to settle the strike without reference to anyone. He believed the. employers' representatives could do the same, if they wished to. He , ould only think they were living to " bluff.'' Mr. Wright : No. Anything we propose must go before a full meeting of the. asportation. Further, Mr. Wright pointed out that, the union had broken the law, in that it had not accepted the Court's decision. It was. illegally on strike, and the employers would have l>een within their rights in refusing to meet it", repre sentatives, as they were men engaged in an illegal strike. Mr. Sill delied anyone to say that the Court had tint made mistake... It. had made one in regard to this award. Here warm words were used by Mr. Sill. which the commissioner called upon him to withdraw, a.nd he elected to leave the room rather than do so. The other delegates of the union remained, and discussion of the dispute was resinned. Mr. H. P. Conway stated that the inructions of the union were that it. required £4 a week as a flat rate. That whs considered to be a living wage. Mr. Hardman pleaded that,' as the employers were already paying rates above the minimum to its higher-paid employees, it would not he a great additional concession to give ihe lower-grade men a | little more. " Put your cards on the j table.'' lie concluded, " and tell us what j v.iti arc prepared to give, and that will , ! 1,, the end of it.' 'I he ( lupioyi i.-. ho\\e\.r. adhered lo then declaration that they wen bound by I the ( curt 's decision. ! 11,,. c, turn..-i. summed up the | |-,Mtion I" the effect, that all the union I had se, tired was Mr. Wright's promise tinit if. when the Wellington award appeared, the union approached the master butchers he would use his influence with ihi principals in favour of its considers- . I (ion. Mr Ciles added that, he had done I h:.- utiuiiht to bring about a settlement, laid he regretted exceedingly that he had failed. In thanking the delegates on both ■ I side, for their attendance, lie said he was ptoud to know that, except for one unforr tunate incident, the proceedings had been -v conducted with due decorum and dignity 1 and tii the credit of all concerned. - i The conference then bruke up.