FERTILISER DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26703, 24 February 1948, Page 6

FERTILISER DISPUTE

MISREPRESENTATION ALLEGED P.A. WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. “A Press Association message from Auckland that the adoption of a goslow policy by workers at three Auckland fertiliser works is ‘ because the Labour Department had ignored the request for a tribunal with an independent chairman to settle outstanding claims ’ is a complete misrepresentation of the true position,” said the Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, to-day. “At the request of both parties, to the dispute I did agree to the appointment of a tribunal under the strike and lock-out regulations,” Mr McLagan said. “ One of the conditions of the appointment of a tribunal is that both parties must first give an undertaking in writing to abide by the tribunal’s decision. While this undertaking is not legally necessary, it is always asked for as an indication of good faith on the part of the parties to the dispute that they are anxious to have the matter settled by arbitration and will abide by the decision of the tribunal. “Although this position was fully explained to the secretary of the union, not only by the conciliation commissioner at Auckland, but also by the Secretary of Labour in telephone conversations with him, the secretary refused to give the usual undertaking, in spite of the fact that it was made clear to him at the time that if the undertaking were not forthcoming the tribunal could not sit.

“ One can only infer,” added Mr McLagan, “ that, because the union is not prepared to give the usual undertaking required, it is apparently not prepared to comply with tne tribunal’s decision. It is most regrettable that at a time like the. present, when fertiliser supplies are so urgently needed to assist in'the Aid for Britain campaign, a go-slow policy should be introduced merely because the union is not prepared' to give an indication of its good faith in a settlement of the dispute by giving me the usual undertaking to comply with- the tribunal’s decision.”