MOVE BY UNION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23401, 18 July 1939, Page 10

MOVE BY UNION

DE-REGISTRATION PLAN FERTILISER WORKERS DECISION TO-MORROW REQUEST TO EMPLOYERS •ff V '* Chemical manure workers now on strike at the works at Otaliuhu, To Papapa and Westfield arc to meet at 8.30 to-morrow morning ;in tho Trades Hall to consider a motion to make immediate application to cancel registration of their union under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. It is anticipated that deregistration of tho union under the Act will be adoptod by the workers. In such event it will involve the first break away by a union from the principle of the settlement of industrial disputes through the Arbitration Court since tho advent of the Labour Government. The intended action by the union was communicated to representatives of the employers yesterday afternoon by the disputes committee of the Auckland Council of the Federation of Labour at a conference presided over by the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. 11. E. Price. Avoidance of Delay The employers' spokesman at the conference was Mr. W. E. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Employers Association, and representatives of the three companies involved in tho strike were in attendance. Officers of the Auckland council of the federation, including the president, Mr. F.. G. Young, and representatives of the union were also present. Tho request was made by the union to the employers that they should endeavour to effect an early settlement of the dispute by consenting to meet the union without delay on the question of an agreement under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, notwithstanding that de-registration under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act will take some time to accomplish. Mr. Anderson undertook to get in touch with directors of the companies concerned to-morrow so that their attitude will be defined in the event of tho resolution mentioned being adopted by the workers. Statement lor Union Proceedings opened at the conference yesterday by the submission of the following statement by the' disputes committee of the council of the federation: — "We desire to inform the employers involved in this dispute that the union is taking steps to cancel its registration under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, a special meeting for that purpose haying been called for Wednesday morning. In anticipation of the rank and file of the organisation endorsing this proposal, we request the employers immediately to appoint representatives to meet the representatives of the union and the' disputes committeo of the Federation of Labour with a view to negotiating a new agreement. "The attitude of the employers up to the present has been that they are agreeable to submit the whole matter to the Arbitration Court, but this attitude can no longer be persisted in if the union concerned decides to deregister under that Act," the statement continued. "There is one position, however, which must "be faced up to, and that is the fact that the deregistration under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act will not take effect for 30 days, and the union therefore cannot' register under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act until this period has expfired. "Tho disputes committee of the Auckland Council of the Federation of Labour is anxious to do everything possible to facilitate an early settlement of tho dispute, and in the circumstances we would ask the employers to waive the legal formalities involved and agree, should the negotiations fail, to, make a joint application with the workers to the Minister of Labour to set up a tribunal comprising representatives of the employers and workers, with an independent chairman appointed by the Minister, as provided under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act. Union and Farmers "Although the disputes committee has made every endeavour to stop this dispute from spreading to other centres and to avoid involving unions other than the Chemical Manure Workers' Union, it is obvious that if the dispute continues this will become increasingly difficult. For that reason we urge that tho employers should clo everything within their power to facilitate an early settlement of the dispute. "Furthermore, the workers have no desire to inconvenience the farmers by a, curtailment of the supply of fertilisers, which, if it occurred, would in turn reduce our primary production to everybody's disadvantage. Wo do feel, however, that the representatives of the farmers appreciate the rotten conditions imder which .the members of this union are employed, and the inadequacy of tho present wage rates. "Wo believe, too, that tho employers agree that the viewpoint of the fanners would be sympathetic toward tho workers in this particular case, and that it was for this reason the employers rejected the suggestion made at the last conference, that a tribunal comprising the representatives of the workers and tho Farmers' Union, with an independent chairman, be set up to adjudicate on this dispute. Hope oi Eaily Settlement "If the employers are not prepared to assist us in bringing about an early settlement of the existing dispute, we think it is opportune to point out that now tho matter is being handled by the Auckland council of tho Federation of Labour it is unlikely that tho members of any union, affiliated with the federation will take part in any work that might bo calculated to break down tho fight at present being put up by the members of tho Chemical Manure Workers' Union. "In tho circumstances wo trust that tho employers will adopt a reasonable and conciliatory attitude, and if that is done we feel certain that ways and means can be found to effect an early settlement of this dispute." Employers' Viewpoint Mr. Anderson pointed out that ho considered the committee had incorrectly stated the position regarding tho farmers. As ho understood it, tho original proposal put forward was that a representative of the Farmers' Union, the employers, the workers and an independent chairman bo set up to deal .with tho dispute. The reason for its rejection by the employers was not because they considered the Farmers' Union representative might bo biassed, but because a tribunal to deal with the case was already in existence, namely, the Court of Arbitration. Workers' representatives replied that tlio proposal made was on tho lines set out in the statement, and that when the suggestion was put forward one of tho employers' representatives said ho objected to tho proposal because ho considered tho representatives of the Farmers' Union would definitely be biassed in favour of tho workers. , ,1