THREATENED REDUCTION OF WAGES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 386, 5 July 1879, Page 19

THREATENED REDUCTION OF WAGES.

A meeting of the employes of the various ironmasters and engineers of the city was held at the Central Hotel on Friday night, to consider a proposal made by their masters to reduce tho rate of wages. There was a crowded meeting, about 100 men being present. The Chairman - called upon representatives of the various establishments to state their case.

jlu reply to the chairman, an employe of the Lion Foundry stated that the proposed reduction was 15 per cent, for some and 10 per cent, for others. He deprecated any reduction, for if wages once got down it would take years to get them up again. If all were of the same mind ns he was they would stand out. He thought the wages should be kept up, even if they worked shorter hours.

Another man from the same foundry spoke highly of Mr. Mills, who had always behaved as a gentleman towards them, but he (the speaker) believed Mr. Mills had taken a wrong step. They all sympathised with their employers in the present depression of trade, which might very well account for the action taken by the masters. There had recently been some heavy losses, which had no doubt seriously affected the employers, and the employees could not but expect to be affected also. The notice, however, of reduction did not say whether it was to be temporary or not ; and another thing, only notices had been posted up, the men never having - been spoken to on the subject. .He thought they should not submit to this without a protest. House rent and other expenses were high, and if they submitted to reductions, the laborer who earned a lower rate of wage would also have to be reduced, and then he could not live. The speaker suggested that a deputation wait upon the masters and lay the subject before them in a calm manner.

A representative of the "Victoria Foundry said no notice had been posted there, so the men were not supposed to know anything about it. They could not take any action until they had notice, but when they got it they would all agree to act with the others as one man.

The Chairman thought the short notice of three days was unwarranted. Referring to what had been done during a recent depression at Sydney, he said there was no reduction of wages or hours, but only half-staffs were employed every alternate fortnight until times got better. He did not believe in any reduction, as they would never get the wages back again to the same figure if they were once lowered. He thought the masters had been hurried into their action without proper consideration.

_ It was then proposed that a deputation of six of their number, representing the vai-ious employs, should wait upon the employers upon the subject.

One of the meeting deprecated resorting to a strike, as it would be easy for the masters to fill their places again from the other colonies. He had seen strikes, and knew what misery they caused, and would be sorry to see one here.

The Chairman did not think there was anv fear of a strike, for those present had too much intelligence to resort to such a proceeding. He knew well Mr. Mills and the other employers, and he had not the slightest doubt that when the matter was put properly before them everything would be amicably arranged, as they had gentlemen to deal with.

An employee of the Phcenix Foundry said he did not think there was any necessity for the reduction. Masters for one thing did not feel the fluctuations in the price of iron like they did at Home, and the general opinion was that a reduction of from 5 to 7h per cent, would be enough. After some further remarks the motion was unanimously carried, and the following deputation was appointed :—Messrs. S. Luke, Williamson, Davis, Thompson, Gilchrist, and D. Campbell. The Secretary was instructed to write to the masters, asking them to appoint a time to meet tho deputation at, their earliest convenience, the meeting to stand adjourned to a future date in order to receive the report of the deputation.

In reply to a question as to whether they should go to work on Monday at the reduced pay, the Chairman advised the men to go quietly to work while negotiations were pending, and not give any cause of offence.

Some business of a pecuniary nature having been arranged, the meeting closed with votes of thanks to the Chairman and to the gentleman who had interested himself in getting up the meeting.

A deputation from the ironworkers and boiler makers of Wellington, consisting of Messrs. Luke and Williamson (Lion foundry), Davis and Thompson (Pheenix foundry), and Gilchrist and Campbell (Victoria foundry), and Mr. Minty, secretary, met the employers by appointment on Monday evening, to consider the proposed reduction of wages. The employers present were Messrs. Robertson, Seager, and E. Mills, junior. Mr. Luke said it might seem strange to the employers to see such a young man as himself taking a part in the proceedings, but he had been appointed as a member of that deputation by his fellow-workmen, and it had also been arranged that he should be their mouthpiece. It was not their desire that the employers should go away with the impression that there was anyone leading the men astray, for they were all unanimous in their action. He then read a memo, which set forth that the employees having received an unexpected notice to the effect that an excessive reduction of wages had been agreed to by the employers had, at a largely attended meeting, been unanimous in stating that the reduction would be so great as to prevent the lower-waged men procuring for their wives, and in some eases their large families, the many necessaries of life. They expressed sympathy with their employers in the present depression of trade, and

hoped that times would soon get better, when they would be compensated for not enforcing the proposed reduction of wages. The tion had been appointed to express the sentiment of that meeting to the employers, aud to state the men’s unwillingness to submit to such a great reduction. It was unanimously hoped that a compromise would be effected, so that anything like a strike might be avoided. They had not much doubt that an amicable settlement would be speedily arrived at, as they had gentlemen to deal with. They also urged their employers to bear in mind that during the busy periods of the past they had worked night and day in order to comply with the demands of the trade. They were now, because there was a lull in trade, called upon to submit to reductions of wages of no less than 10 and 15 per cent. They would willingly submit to this if house rent and other expenses were not so high, but under the circumstances they asked their employers to reconsider the steps they had taken, and either continue the present rate of wages or make tho reduction a temporary thing, the old rate of wages to be paid upon an improvement in trade setting in. Mr. Luke asked whether the reduction would be permanent or temporary ? Mr. Robertson said the employers had made up their minds to hear all the deputation had to say before replying, and they would . then know they had to reply to. He might say that the proposed reductions were not laid as cast iron rules which could not be altered. The masters would use their own discretion as to the exact amount of reduction to make in individual cases, and all wa<ms under 7s. per day would not be touched. ° Mr. Davis spoke at some length of the value of boilermakers, who, he contended, were worth good wages, aud should not be reduced. He thought putting the notices up in the foundries was treating the men like children, and not like mechanics.

Mr. Luke asked if it was because the men were not earning their money that they were to be reduced ? They had to pay for their holidays, and if they were ill at home they had to pay for it. He reminded the masters that there had been good times in the past, and there would be again. He also referred to the fact that the men had only had two days in which to consider the proposals. Mr. Seager said if he considered a man was worth hi 3 money he would always give it, for he believed in paying a man what he ’ was worth. Those who were getting 7s. a day would not be touched ; in fact an industrious man with a family to keep would not be reduced if getting Bs. per day. The wages, however, would have to come down, or the shop shut up.

Mr. Campbell referred to the fact of extra men being taken on during the execution of contracts, and being paid higher wages than* the regular workmen, which he did not think ' right.

Mr. Robertson said he had that day been to a meeting of creditors, and had had to accept: ss. in the pound for a job, yet he had paid his men their full wages on it. If there waa a strike, as one •of the deputation hinted, tho sooner the Wellington foundries closed up the better, for they could not compete now. Tho wages were all lower elsewhere. They did not want to take any advantage, but they asked the men to take a share of the reduction. Contracts were lower, and if wages were not cut down the work would all go to Dunedin. He could not earry on with present profits, and instead of employing 40 or 50 men, he would only be able to employ about a dozen if wa"es remained.without alteration. a

Mr. Mills thought the reductions proposed were small compared with the wages elsewhere. °

Mr. Seager said there was no doubt wages were too high, for the prices for work had been cut down very much during the last four years, while the prices of coal and iron remained the same.

Mr. Robertson related an instance of a man having come to him from Nelson and wanted some railway work done. He (Mr. Robertson) had offered to do it for 3£d. per lb., which was a very low figure, and yet the work had been taken to Dunedin, where it had been done cheaper. Iron was no cheaper there, but it was worked cheaper. Mr. Luke inquired if the proposals would be modified.

Mr. Robertson stated that this would be left to the discretion of the masters, who could modify it according to circumstances, and pay. according to merit. In some cases there might not be so great a reduction as was stated.

A general conversation then ensued. The members of the deputation expressed the opinion that the notice was a mistake, aud the cause of the ill-feeling on the subject ; while the masters reiterated what they had already stated regarding the manner in which tho proposed reductions would be modified according to circumstances. If they got a job that paid well the men would be paid better. Mr. Mills expressed the opinion that some of the men did not work as they ought to do, while the deputation were of opinion that such men should be told to go. Mr. Robertson stated that he had heard apprentices were being admitted into the society here, which he believed was contrary to rules, for it was only men who had worked in all tho foundries and had earned the average wages that should be admitted to membership. They would find that such members would cause a deal of disturbance. Mr. Williamson did not think there were any apprentices in the society, and all its members could earn the average wa«e anywhere. After some further conversation the meeting broke up.

An adjourned meeting of iron workers was held at the Central Hotel on Tuesday evening to. receive the report of the deputation appointed to confer with the employers upon the proposed reduction in wages. Mr, Jas. Luke was Voted to the chair,.and.the secretary, Mr. Axiaty, read the minute,j oj .the previous inoetiug, aud also the report of tiio deputation. The chairman said that the deputation

bad brought forcibly before their employers the views of the workmen, and then asked the meeting to discuss the situation coolly. A lengthy discussion ensued, many of those present considering that the proposals to pay according to merit, and yet reduce the higher waged men, were incompatible. It was pointed out that in Dunedin the rate of wages was higher than in Wellington, and if work could be done cheaper there it must be beeause there were better appliances. 'I he short notice to the men was severely commented upon. Some disorder ensued upon Mr. Robertson's remarks to the deputation concerning admitting apprentices to the society being referred to, and it was indignantly denied that the society had anything to do with the present resistance to the reduction of wages. A proposal to refer the disputed questions to arbitration was considered at some length, but was ultimately rejected, as it would be impossible to ascertain upon what basis to arbitrate. It was then proposed, and after considerable discussion carried, that no further action would be taken until Saturday, when the men would be paid at the reduced rate, and a meeting would be held at the same place at seven o’clock that evening, to confer as to the extent of the reductions made in individual cases, a question that they were all in the dark upon then. The meetiag closed with votes of thanks to the chairman, Press, fee.