SUSPENSION OF WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23378, 21 June 1939, Page 14

SUSPENSION OF WORK

'ATTENDANCE AT MEETING PERMISSION -GRANTED DECISION AT WELLINGTON [by telegraph—press association] "WELLINGTON, Tuesday The managing-director of Housing "Construction, Limited, Mr. James Fletcher, said this morning that his firm had been approached by several deputations of their men asking that they bo given the right to attend tomorrow's meeting in the Town Hall and -his firm had agreed to accedo to this request. Ho had advised all men . ■ that factories and jobs would bo closed to-morrow to permit of employees attending the meeting. •'/ In a letter to. the secretary of the Wellington Carpenters' Union, Mr. Fletcher says that the statement appearing in tho press that the dispute that has arisen can only be handled through tho Builders' Association and liot through Fletchers as an individual firm is quite satisfactory to Fletchers. At tho same time he draws attention to the fact that tho preliminary conference of the union arranged at tho Karori housing scheme was not arranged through tho Builders' Association, but directly with Fletcher's office. Also, he points out, the request that he should keep himself available on tho occasion of Thursday's meeting also proved the men were prepared to negotiate, as • also did the fact that they got a telephone, call after that meeting. It was reported yesterday that Mr. Fletcher had issued a warning to emplovees as to tho consequences of their attending the proposed building trades Stop-work meeting. 'OFFER TO MEET MEN ; ATTITUDE OF EMPLOYERS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday • A letter from Mr. T. O. Bishop, on . behalf of tho master builders, to the carpenters' organisation, says he is instructed to say that if they will renew their request for tho master builders to meet them after work lias been resumed on all jobs the master buildors will bo prepared to appoint representatives to meet them, so as to ascertain what their grievances are and to give consideration to any proposals they desire to put forward. Commenting on the employers' decision, tho union secretaries concerned stated they were pleased with the reception of their request and would make a recommendation to tho meeting to-morrow and leave tho men to decide. AVERAGE EARNINGS DUNEDIN SECRETARY'S REMARKS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESiJ ASSOCIATION] DUNEDIN, Tuesday "Although tho hourly rate may appear high, tho average carpenter earns less than a man working in a store on a weekly wage," stated Mr. Ross, . secretary of tho Carpenters' Union, intimating that there was no present or anticipated trouble in Dunedin. Mr. floss said the Wellington trouble arOsor ave£ > wet jobs and lost time on tho exhibition f?ito.- Bulldozers had been working and. tho ground was qunginire after rain. Tho Karori job was also very wot. Mr. Ross added that in Wellington somo builders were paying 3s to 3s 3d an hour, but men brought from Australia got only 2s 9Jd on housing jobs ' and tho exhibition work.