PROTEST STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23647, 3 November 1938, Page 12

PROTEST STRIKE

AUCKLAND GLASSWORKERS ARBITRATION COURT DELAY EMPLOYERS' OFFER REFUSED SERIOUS EFFECT OF STOPPAGE (Per United Press Association! AUCKLAND. Nov. 2. As a protest against the delay in securing a fixture in the Court of Arbitration for the hearing of the glassworkers' dispute, the 150 members of the Auckland Glass Workers' Union went on strike this morning It is considered that the strike, unless a satisfactory settlement is made, will have most serious repercussions in a number of industries. A statement was made this morning that the award expired on October 21, and a dispute was immediately brought before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr R. E. Price) by the union. A settlement was reached on a number of points, but the major issue, that of an increase in wages, was referred to the Arbitration Court. When the union applied to the court the officials were advised that they would be unable to secure a hearing for six months Increase In Wages Offered In the meantime the management of the firm involved, the Australian Glass Manufacturers' Company. Ltd., Penrose, offered a 2s per week all-round increase in wages. The men called a stopwork meeting on Thursday of last week and instructed the secretary and their delegates to meet the management and put an alternative proposition in regard to wages before them. This was not accepted by the management. A further stopwork meeting was called for Monday last, but was abandoned because Mr W. E. Anderson, the employers' representative, was not available, and the meeting was held last evening when delegates from the union and the employers held a conference. A further stopwork meeting took place this morning, and the men did not return to work. The manager (Mr W Reams) stated this morning that he was notified by the president of the union (Mr E. Gimblett) and the secretary (Mr J. Purtell) that at the stopwork meeting the men had decided to go on strike, and that a further meeting would be held at » o'clock to-morrow morning. It was also stated that the union had decided to leave the firemen and batch-mixers at their posts until a further course of action was decided on at to-morrow's meeting. Serious Consequences " The trouble comes at a most unfortunate time," Mr Kearns said. " Our trade is more or less seasonal, and the bulk of our customers are depending on large deliveries at this time of the year. The difficulties that users of bottles will have to face if the trouble is prolonged will be easy to imagine. The principal consumers are breweries, aerated water manufacturers, condiment manufacturers, wholesale and retail chemists, and the Christmas toilet and perfume trade. If the trouble extends, the milk trade will become Involved, and, in short, every bottleuser in the country will be affected. Mr Kearns pointed out that the stoppage would have serious consequences. The present output was 5000 gross of bottles per week and his firm was the only one in the Dominion manufacturing bottles at the present time. They were carrying on with a low output by means of a skeleton staff. Normally there are four units making bottles, and to-day only two were in use, and the skeleton staff had been split up into shifts to enable the plant, to be manned. Cardboard Industry Affected Another industry to be affected, Mr Kearns said, was the manufacture of corrugated cardboard for cartons, these were being used for packing wine, beer, spirits and many commercial commodities, replacing wooden cases to a large extent. The only manufactory in New Zealand was operated at Penrose by the firm now affected by the strike, and the employees were members of the Glassworkers' Union, so that work was at a standstill. Mr Kearns claimed that the company was paying higher wages than in other industries, and he understood that the men's grievance was not against the company but against the Arbitration Court. The wage in 1931 was £4 2s 6d, and the stated policy of the court was to allow an increase of 5s a week on the 1931 figure to meet the increased cost of living. When the last award was before the court an increase of 4s was made, bringing the rate to £4 6s (3d, On this figure the employers now offered an additional 2s, making the figure £4 8s 6d, which was claimed to be Is per week above what would have been granted on the basis of the pronouncement made by the court. Furthermore, the 1931 figure paid to the glassworkers was held to be above the rates ruling at that time in other industries. Union Member's Version According to a membei ot the union, at the stopwork meeting last week a resolution was carried that work would be resumed pending a conference within 48 hours. The men were not advised that any conference had been held. Yesterday afternoon a pamphlet was circulated among the men, calling a stopwork meeting for to-day to discuss the business for the proposed conference. The pamphlet stated, he said, that the meeting would also consider the advisability of cancelling the registration of the Auckland Glassworks Employees' Union under the Industrial. Conciliation ar.d Arbitration Act. The meeting was held this morning, and a resolution was passed that the men should adjourn the meeting until 8 a.m. to-morroW to allow the employers' representative to secure a fixture for the hearing of the dispute by the Arbitration Court. It was stated that Mr Anderson would appear in the court at 10 a.m. to-day, when he would make an application.

The resolution was carried by a big majority An amendment to the resolution was put to the meeting, suggesting that the men should carry on work till 8 a.m. to-morrow pending a definite decision, but it was defeated on the vote of the majority, only a very small minority being in favour of the amendment.