STRIKING CARPENTERS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13638, 24 August 1937, Page 5

STRIKING CARPENTERS.

ORAKEI HOUSING PLAN. HELD UP BY DEADLOCK. Electric Teiegrapli—Press. Association AUCKLAND, August 23. The carpenters’ strike on the State I housiiur 30b :il. Orak ol continues. Men, who arrived 011 the job this morning held a further stop-work meeting and subsequently a conference was held between the job delegates, union officials, and representatives of the master builders, but after an hour and a half discussion a deadlock was reached. Mr W. J. Lyon. M.P., who arranged the conference and presided, will leave for Wellington to-night to ascertain what action the Government intends taking. POSITION OF BUILDERS AUCKLAND, August 23. All explanation that any action by the Master Builders’ Association in Auckland to raise wages for carpenters on the Orakei housing scheme would have most important consequences. not only upon tlie cost of building, but also upon contractors with contracts already in hand, was made by Air V A. Coyle, president of the association, who attended a conference called by Air W. J. Lyon. M.l’., to discuss the stoppage of work at Orakei.

If an increase in. wages were arrived at he said.serious financial loss would immediately be incurred by firms at present working on contracts. Some might easily be forced into bankruptcy. The Fletcher Construction Company had other companies beside itself to think about. The contractors could not afford to have the state of uncertainty which existed about carpenters’ wages. ““The dispute is of a local nature. We cannot take into account the position in TVel liwgton, where men, a,re being paid Is 8d an hour as against the 2s 6Jd being paid at Orakei. In June, when representatives of carpenters’ unions throughout New Zealand met those from the Alaster Builders’ Federation of New Zealand, in Wellington, we offered carpenters 2s Bd. We were anxious to enter into a spirit of conciliation, and we considered at tlie time that this was a very generous offer. They turned it down, however, preferring to wait for the Arbitration Court’s decision Now, on a local job. they are trying to force a claim by unconstitutional methods, which can only disrupt the industry.” The Auckland Matter Builders Association, he said, considered that any concession granted for tlie Orakei men would be taken advantage of in other centres and used with disastrous effect. The association wished to follow constitutional methods, and it found itself unable to agree with the carpenters’ demands or to approve of the action they had taken.