BALLOTS PROPOSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27499, 20 September 1950, Page 8

BALLOTS PROPOSED

Question Of Wages For Skilled Tradesmen OUTCOME OF PORT DISPUTE Ballots may soon be, under way to ascertain whether the majority of skilled trade workers throughout Otago are prepared to take direct action to obtain an increase in their rates of pay to 5s an hour. Several unions are involved in this move, which Is aimed to improve the rates of pay for skilled workers as compared with those ruling for unskilled men.

This move is the outcome of the discussions on Monday between the ship repair tradesmen who have been on strike at Port Chalmers over the question of pay, and their respective union secretaries. Full support’ was given to the proposal and it is expected that the ballots will be held soon. At the same time the men decided to resume work until the results of the ballots were known. They returned to work yesterday morning, thus ending their strike, which had been in progress since Friday morning. Trade union officials pointed out yesterday that the skilled workers involved in the dispute received 4s OJd an hour, compared, for instance, with 4s 3d an hour being earned by waterside workers. They also stated that some of the men might consider joining the Waterside Workers’ Union, if their employers were not “ prepared

to pay them a more reasonable wage." All the men, who were involved in the strike, are employees of the engineering firm of Stevenson and Cook and of the Union Steam Ship Company at Port Chalmers. Among them are carpenters, joiners, boilermarkers, tinsmiths, moulders and others. In general, they represent the engineering and associated trade unions and the Otago Carpenters and Joiners’ Union. They first made their claim for an increase of approximately Is an hour on Thursday, but the employers pointed out that they had to abide by the award. They stated that they wanted to treat the men fairly, but that they had no alternative but to refuse. On the following morning the men went on strike and proceeded ,to discuss the matter with their respective secretaries. Neither of the two companies was notified of any of the decisions made by the men.