1600 REMAIN IDLE OTAHUHU DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23186, 4 November 1938, Page 12

1600 REMAIN IDLE

OTAHUHU DISPUTE

DEADLOCK REACHED NO STEP TO NEGOTIATION , RETURN TO WORK OPPOSED OTHER CENTRES CONSULTED No progress was made yesterday toward settlement of the dispute between the employees of the Otahuhu railway workshops and the department concerning the employment of non-skilled men in the boilermakers' shop, and the 1600 men involved were idle throughout the day. Last evening the position of stalemate had virtually' been reached, neither side accepting the conditions stipulated as a preliminary to the opening of negotiations. During the day the men communicated with the three southern workshops to ascertain the attitude of the staffs there on the issues of tho dispute.

The men assembled at tho workshops at the usual hour yesterday morning, the special trains for the workers running as usual from the outer suburbs. A mass meeting was held shortly after 7.30 a.m., when a message from the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, was submitted. It was to the effect that discussion could not bo opened until the men resumed work unconditionally. This was rejected by the meeting and the committee acting for the men subsequently issued a statement. Statement by the Men " The committee responsible for conducting the negotiations in connection with the stoppage of work considers it essential at the outset to issue definito instructions to all the staff affected that it is their bounden duty to maiutain discipline and protect Government property," says the statement. " The committee is pleased to say that this instruction is being obeyed implicitly in spite of rumours to tho contrary. " The present state of the dispute from our point of view is that we are prepared to resume work pending official negotiations, provided that the department agrees to allow the men to resume work under the conditions prevailing prior to Wednesday. This decision has been communicated to the officials of all our organisations, including the Federation of Labour in Wellington, which is busily engaged with the Minister endeavouring to bring about a settlement with tho least possible delay." Principles Involved

It was explained that wild rumours had been current in the city and suburbs to the effect that the men had been destroying property. The conditions on which the men were prepared to resume work required the department to withdraw the instructions under which two labourers were assigned to jobs in the boilermakers' shed at wages lid an hour less than the prevailing trade rates. While the issues in dispute seemed trivial, there were far-reaching principles involved, stated several of the men. It had come to the men's knowledge recently that private employers were claiming the same right as the department to pay for semi-skilled work at rates below those usually in force. It was alleged that the conditions in the workshops had been quoted in support of such claims. The men remained at the shops throughout the day. A series of impromptu concerts was arranged and an improvised loud-speaker outfit was brought into commission. The chief interest in the afternoon was the payment of the fortnightly wages due yesterday.

APPROACH TO MINISTER INTERVIEW SOUGHT ENDEAVOUR UNSUCCESSFUL [by TELEGRAPH —OWN correspondent] WELLINGTON, Thursday Following the decision of the men at the Otahuhu railway workshops not to resume until their demands were met, the New Zealand Railway Tradesmen's Association, along with the secretary of the New Zealand Boilermakers' Union, endeavoured to secure an interview with the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D G Sullivan, but without avail. A conference was held to-njght between representatives of the association and the union. It was stated later that communication had been established with their affiliated bodies. "The matter rests there in the meantime," stated Mr. S. Ingram, secretary of the association. Asked if the Hutt, Addington and Hillside workshops intended to hold a sympathy strike, Mr. Ingram replied that ho had received no information to that effect at that stage.