ORAKEI CARPENTERS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13641, 27 August 1937, Page 5

ORAKEI CARPENTERS.

WILL RETDRN TO JOBS. PENDING COURT PRONOUNCEMENT. Electrio Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, East Night. •Ceasing work fast Friday as the result ot a dispute over the hourly rate of wages the carpenters employed on the erection of the State liouses at Orakei will resume on Monday. It lias been arranged by the men and the employers to call a conference of assessors within a week after the Arbitration Court’s pronouncement on the standard wages with a view- to effecting a permanent settlement. The men are stated to have been given to understand that any increase will be operative from the time of the Court’s decision The agreement to return to work was made at a meeting of the men in the Trades Hall. There were a number of speakers, including Mr W. -I - Lyon, ALP., Mr J. McLagen, president of the Federation of Labour, and Mr F. Cornish, secretary of the 1-ederation. The general conference was followed by a meeting of delegates in the afternoon when a statement was issued by Air j. G. Ken-nerlt-y. secretary of tile Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union, on behalf of the men at Orakei. Air Kennerley said that after a full discussion and consideration of the matters m dispute on the Orakei job aucl the general conditions of the carpenters’ award the fully-attended and representative meeting of men decided to resume on Monday All important feature in making the settlement possible was the assurance that arrangements would be made to hold an early conference between the union representatives and the Builders’ Association to discuss wages and other conditions after the pronouncement of the Arbitration Court on the basic wage for skilled workers. ■Any agreement reached at this conference on the matter of wages w ill be given immediate effect to and w ill give an increase, of wages to all carpenters throughout the Dominion, Air Ivoniierley continued. “As file Orakei men feel this will achieve tbeir objective at it concerned their ov. 11 particular job tliey agreed to resume work. It has been given to us to understand that the payment of any increase following the Court’s pronouncement would be made from Ihe date of announcement. ' Beyond gratification at having been reached AXr \\ iliiam Fletcher, director ot the Fletcher Construction Co., Ltd., declined to comment on the terms that had been arranged when interviewed to-night.