UNPRODUCTIVE ARGUMENT

Southland Times, Issue 23307, 17 September 1937, Page 10

UNPRODUCTIVE ARGUMENT

PRINTING TRADES DISPUTE LITTLE PROGRESS MADE (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 16. “Evidently there has been a stonewall this afternoon,’’ said the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr M. J. Reardon) at the hearing of the Dominion printing trades dispute today when, after a long period of unproductive argument, Mr C. H. Chapman, M.P., stated that the workers’ assessors did not wish to complete consideration of the machinery clauses because they felt an agreement might prejudice them in their claims for wages. ] When the council met at 11 o’clock in the morning the commissioner suggested that his schedule setting out the agreements made at the previous court day’s hearing should be read and confirmed. At 5 o’clock in the afternoon this had not, been completed and no progress had been made with the other machinery clauses. The workers’ assessors wished to go on and discuss wages but the employers’ assessors objected. “It isn’t possible to devote weeks to one organization without doing an injustice to someone else,” said the commissioner when the workers’ advocate, Mr K. Baxter, intimated that his side was in no hurry to end the hearing. If the workers wanted matters taken in hand and disposed of they should be prepared to give some assistance, he continued. Machinery clauses which had been in operation for years and which had been thrashed out repeatedly should be agreed to unless it could be shown that they were not working satisfactorily. The workers’ assessors indicated that they did not wish to reach agreement on everything else and then have the wage clauses referred to the court.

QUESTION OF CLASSIFICATION Mr Chapman said they had prepared an amended schedule of claims in view of the court’s pronouncement on the standard wage. Whether it had been agreed to at a previous sitting that cities and towns should, for rhe purposes of the' award, be classified according to population was a question raised at the opening meeting The workers’ assessors contended that no final agreement had been made. Mr Clarkson, an employers’ assessor, said that all the concessions made by the employers had been made on the definite understanding that the classification would be retained. Mr H. C. Lord, a workers’ assessor, objected to the stipulation that classification should be based on “resident” population. Mr Clarkson contended that the classification of any town should not be built up by temporary population due to such causes as holiday traffic or military camps. Further consideration of the clause was deferred. After luncheon Mr Baxter sought to reopen the discussion on the following clause which had been agreed to in the morning: Workers in newspapers and printing offices, including composite offices, shall be required to work not more than eight hours on each six days of the week provided that such workers shall not be required to do any jobbing work on Saturdays or statutory holidays. Mr Baxter stated that in the interval he had talked to men who were up in arms at the possibility of jobbing workers being required to work on Saturday morning to set advertisements.' REOPENING OF DISCUSSION Mr Chapman, who had presided in the morning in the absence of the commissioner, expressed the opinion that the discussion could be reopened. “This is very disappointing,” said Mr Clarkson. “We have tried to make the clause watertight. I don’t know where we are going to get if we devote an hour to a clause and then reopen it. Mr Hardcastle gave an assurance that no more men than necessary would be brought back on Saturdays and that as far as possible the rota system would be used, but no final decision was made. Mr Chapman suggested that newspaper proprietors should agree to recommend the adoption, where possible, of the rota system for the purpose of establishing a five-day week in newspaper offices. “It would be simply deluding you and deceiving this council if we suggested we could seriously consider such a proposal,” said Mr Hardcastle. “It is not from lack of sympathy with the desire of workers for a five-day week that I say that but because of its sheer physical impossibility.” Mr Chapman said he realized it might not be possible to extend the system to all workers but he was convinced that it would be practicable for linotype operators, compositors and rotary men. Mr Hardcastle referred to an office with a rotory press crew of six men. If it was possible to allow one man off each night why were six men employed at present, he asked. He declared it would be a waste of time to discuss the matter further.

After reviewing and clarifying the points on which agreement had been reached, the council adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow.