DISPUTE OVER WAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21344, 19 November 1932, Page 13

DISPUTE OVER WAGES

ELECTRICAL WORKERS EMPLOYERS SEEK REDUCTION MEN URGED TO ACCEPT Matters affecting conditions of employment in the electrical trade in Auckland were considered at a conciliation council between representatives of the employers and the workers' union yesterday. Mr. P. Hally, conciliation commissioner, presided. The employers' assessors were Mr. S. E. Wright, secretary of the Auckland Employers' Association, and Messrs. J. A. C. Allum, J. Armitage and J. Steele, and the union representatives were Messrs. K. Simpson (advocate), A. G. Hultquist, J. A. Petrie, W. L. Cervin and A. Jack. Practically all the clauses in the present award were at first in dispute, but tentative agreements have now been reached on all questions with the exception of wages. The employees had originally desired to maintain wages at their present level, 2s 3d an hour, less 10 per cent, and the employers sought to reduce them to Is 9d an hour.

Yesterday it was stated by the employers' assessors that the highest offer they could make was Is an hour. This was the same rate as that agreed upon at. a conciliation council in connection with the electrical trade in Wellington. The necessity for reducing wages was regretted, but in view of existing conditions no other course could be taken.

After an adjournment to enable the employees' representatives to consider the employers' offer, it was announced that the union could not accept less than Is llgd an hour. Should a settlement not be reached the matter would have to go to the ArbitrationiCourt.

Mr. Allum urged the employees to reconsider their decision. He said that failure to arrive at a settlement must inevitably prove detrimental to the workers. If they went to the Arbitration Court they could not hope to obtain more than Is 10£ d an hour, the same as the Wellington rate, and if there was no award some of the employers might take advantage of the position. Mr. Simpson suggested that the cause of the dispute, the rate of wages, should be referred to the Arbitration Court. Mr. Hally: I advise you not to make that move at the present time. On the motion of Mr. Allum, the meeting wa s adjourned until November 29, when the question of wages will be further considered.