A LABOUR DEADLOCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 14

A LABOUR DEADLOCK.

THREAT BY HOTEL EMPLOYES. WELLINGTON, March 16. To-day a meeting of the Conciliation Council was held to discuss the demands of the hotel employees. Mr P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner) presided, and stated that the main questions of hours, wages, and preference were not settled. Upon these points the employers' representatives desired opportunity to confer with members of the trade, and Mr Beveridge would therefore be asked for the result of these deliberations. Mr Beveridge said when the matters at issue were placed before the members of the executive of the Licensed Victuallers' Association and other members of the trade it was at once apparent that not one-third of them would agree to the demands as to hours, wages, and pieference. The matters were fully discussed and thoroughly gone into, but he regretted to state that the trade could not see its way clear to accept any of the demands set forth. As the uuion.was pledged by its objects to strive for a six-day week of 48 hours for all male workers and a six-day week of 42 hours for all female workers in the trade, and as such would mean the ruin of every employer engaged in the business, and any agreement arrived at could only Be of a temporary character, the employers could not see their way to assist in bringing about such an undesirable state of affairs. Mr T. Long, representing the workers, said the attitude taken up by the employers was not in accordance with the terms laid down in the Conciliation Act. They were making no attempt at conciliation. They merely said: " No, we decline to discuss the matter; and, further, we are going to the court." But if the matter was' goini-? to the court, then there, would be a repetition of the old-time bitterness. Some effort .should have been made to settle this dispute. It was useless for both workers and employers to be everlastingly bickering, seeing that the trade relied upon the workers at the local option poll. This was an unjustifiable attitude for the employers to take up. There would be such a howl set up throughout the length and breadth of the country over this that the hotelkeepers would be very sorry for the way they had acted. Mr Beveridge: These are threats. In effect, it means that you will remember us at the polls. If this is what you want, then the sooner we know where we are the better. You are asking the hotel emDloyees to vote against, their own living. How can you ask us to be conciliatory? We have given you our reasons why Ave are asking for the award of the court as it at present stands. Since that award was made we have had a very bad time, and the outlook is not too bright. But on top of that you asked for 100 per cent, increase in waees and shorter hours. These demands you subsequently modified, bat you still ask lor a very large increase of pay and shorter hours. If the conditions were fair when the award was made and the trade was prosperous, they should be fair to-day now that times are bad. The chairman remarked that there were a number of points on which the parties had agreed. Mr Beveridge: But a large number of the employers would not sign'it. The. employers' assessors came to the council giving it to be understood that they represented the trade. He could only refer the matter to the court, but he believed the court would refer it back to him again.