COMPLAINT MADE BY DRIVERS

Southland Times, Issue 23856, 29 June 1939, Page 5

COMPLAINT MADE BY DRIVERS

Employers’ Tactics Criticized STOP-WORK MEETING IN AUCKLAND DISPUTES COMMITTEE TO ATTEMPT SETTLEMENT (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 28. General dissatisfaction with the tactics stated to have been employed by the Auckland Employers’ Association was unanimously expressed by Auckland drivers at a meeting of the members of the Auckland Drivers’Union in the Town Hall. A stop-work meeting was called to discuss the position that had arisen' in consequence of a failure to reach agreement in disputes with certain employers. About 2000 members ' attended the meeting, which was called for 8 o’clock and which finished just before noon. In a statement issued after the meeting the secretary of the Auckland Drivers’ Union (Mr L. G. Matthews) said general dissatisfaction was expressed by the whole meeting with the tactics employed by the Auckland Employers’ Association in utilizing a delay in the Court of Arbitration as a means of prolonging the putting into operation of the previous order made by the Court late last year, as well as the subsequent decision of the Industrial Magistrate Mr J. A. Gilmour. It was felt by the meeting that the question of appeal was instituted purely, as a means of procrastination and delaying the putting into effect of the 40-hour week. In no uncertain manner the meeting voiced its disapproval of those tactics. The following resolution was carried unanimously:

That, failing a decision being made within seven days that the respective orders made by the .Court of Arbitration and the Industrial Magistrate be given effect to, a further stop-work meeting will be called for the purpose of deciding appropriate action for the enforcement of the said orders, and further that all affiliations to the Drivers’ Federation be informed, of our action and advised to reciprocate. DISPUTES COMMITTEE During the course of the meeting, said Mr Matthews, a telegram was received from the national president of the Drivers’ Federation, Mr A. Parlane, of Wellington, signifying the intention of Mr T. O. Bishop, national secretary of the Employers’ Association, to arrange for a meeting of the National Disputes Committee immediately to discuss other clauses in the award. These were clauses about which there was so much dissatisfaction and which the union declared to be unworkable when the award was issued. “We are to communicate with Wellington immediately,” said Mr Matthews, “instructing our national president to arrange with Mr Bishop to call the Disputes Committee together tomorrow. We sincerely hope the matters in dispute will be amicably settled by the committee. The organizer of the Aucklarid Drivers’ Union, Mr F. Muller, and I will go to Wellington to sit on this committee.” Mr Matthews added that the Disputes Committee would, consider the clauses under dispute, other than those dealing with the 40-hour week. The 40-hour week question was another matter -and would not come within the jurisdiction of the Disputes Committee. Another resolution, in which the meeting expressed its support of the Government, read as follows: That this mass meeting of drivers wholeheartedly supports the Government in its progressive and humane legislation on behalf of the useful people of New Zealand and pledges its complete and unanimous support to bring to successful conclusion its entire policy, and further wishes to congratulate the Government on its proposal to institute a fortnightly annual holiday for all workers. NO BREAD DELIVERED IN AUCKLAND

BAKERS’ DRIVERS INVOLVED IN DISPUTE (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 28. No bread was delivered in Auckland today as a result of the stop-work meeting held in the Town Hall in. the morning by the Auckland .Drivers Union. Bakers’ drivers were, included in those present at the meeting. Although the bakers’ drivers as well as others were advised to return to work after the meeting, Mr S. S. Green, secretary of the Auckland Master Bakers’ Association, stated that.bakers could not employ their drivers on Wednesday afternoons, as a baker cannot employ a driver after noon on the day customarily observed as a half-day, which in Auckland was mostly Wednesday.