GO-SLOW TO END

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25319, 28 September 1945, Page 8

GO-SLOW TO END

BUILDERS' DISPUTE TRIBUNAL TO DECIDE Workers in the Auckland building trades decided at a stopwork meeting yesterday morning to accept a tribunal to deal with their grievances and to return to work at the normal production rate. The decision of the meeting resulted in the cessation of the go-slow policy which was adopted on a number of jobs last week. The go-slow policy resulted from the action of the * Auckland _ Master Builders' Association in ordering the cessation of the afternoon-tea break. Whore the men were paid for the break normal production was maintained. Another matter in dispute was the payment for Y-J Day. About 25(K) men attended the stopwork meeting in the Town Hall yesterday, which continued from 9.30 until about 11 o'clock. The chairman was Mr T. Potter, organiser of the General Labourers' Union. The Minister's Assurance

Speaking on behalf of the combined building trades union executives, Mr W. A. Greig, acting-national secretary of the Carpenters' l-nion, outlined the developments which had taken place since the men's last meeting. He said the acting-Minister of'- Labour, All" O'Brien, had intervened with an assurance that if the men returned to work lie would set up a tribunal to consider the matters in dispute. It would be set up as soon as the industrial magistrate. Mr .1. A. Gilmour, was available to act as chairman, and this may be in about a week's time. Mr Greig recommended to the men that they accept the .Minister's assurance and return to work immediately after the meeting. Vote Favours Acceptance

A number of inen. aided by microphones, addressed the meeting from the floor of the hall. They gave viewpoints for and against the Minister's proposal, and at one stage a considerable number of them were not in favour of accepting it. Lengthy discussion followed, and when a vote was taken the proposal was accepted almost unanimously. Due of the conditions of acceptance was that there should be no victimisation and dismissals of workers as a result of their go-slow policy, and that the tribunal be set up within 14 days. The combined union executives will select their representatives ou the tribunal at a later meeting. The decision of yesterday's meeting was forwarded to the Minister, the Auckland Master Builders' Association and the National Service Department.