WORK CEASES

Southland Times, Issue 21832, 8 October 1932, Page 6

WORK CEASES

ENGINEERING TRADE. MEN ON STRIKE, (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, October 7. A peculiar position has arisen in the amalgamated engineering and _ allied trades as a result of the decision to cease work. Over 500 workers may come out while the Dominion conciliation proceedings, though adjourned for a fortnight, have admittedly not definitely failed. The strike is not a strike of the union, but a strike of the men. It follows the decision of a stop-work meeting at the Trades Hall yesterday as a result of action of the Patent Slip Company which at noon put up a notice advising its men that their engagement would be terminated on Wednesday evening and they would be re-engaged only on the employer’s new proposals. Under the old award the rates paid were 2/3 per hour less ten per cent. The new proposals it is stated range from 1/6J to 1/10.} and one of the new conditions is that there shall be no clock hour's, the effect of which will be that employers could call on the men to work at any time within 24 hours and that they would have to work eight hours before they would receive overtime, The men refused to accept the conditions and held a meeting which decided to inform the other members of the unions concerned of what had taken place. A workers’ meeting followed at the Trades Hall, this meeting deciding that the men at the Patent Slip should cease work. A number of men in the other shops ceased to-day. The secretary of the Wellington Branch of the Amalgamated Engineers’ Union, Mr A. Black, says the union is appreciative of the action of the Patent Slip Company in hitherto paying full rates under the old award and observing its conditions which they had done till Wednesday. On Wednesday the metal workers’ separate award expired at midnight. Apparently, says Mr Black, pressure had been brought upon the Patent Slip Company by the other employers who were not paying. the award rates. Technically the Dominion position is not affected by the Wellington strike, but it is possible that shipping out of commission may be affected. There is no boat on the Patent Slip at present.