PRINTING WORKERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 222, 31 August 1936, Page 3

PRINTING WORKERS.

i JUDGMENT CRITICISED ■ Exemption From 40-Hour oT »b$ —i*lS ft A | LETTER TO MR. SAVAGE. Prerfs Association—Copyright. Auckland, Aug. 29. Dissatisfaction with the Arbitration Court's decision in respect to the employers' claim for exemption from the 40-hour week was expressed at a meeting of the Auckland Printing and Related Trades' Union this morning, The meeting, which was attended by approximately SCO members, said to be representative of all the printing establishments in the city, and , all departments, began at 8 o'clock in. the Trades Hall and finished at 9.20. Afterwards members of the union marched from the hall four abreast down Wellesley Street and Queen Street, disbanding at Fort Street, It was decided to send a letter to the Prime Minister drawing attention to the union's "utter dissatisfaction" with the court's decision and asking him to have an inquiry held as to how the court reached such a decision.

I In making this decision, the union deI cided to draw the Prime Minister's ati tention "to the following inconsistencies , which appear in the public Press in respect of the court's finding:— "(1) That the court was divided, and notwithstanding the fact that it was dealing with one of the most vital points in your party's election manifesto, their decision was only a majority one. "(2) That the evidence specially asked for by the court was not forthcoming and we consider it a grave miscarriage of justice for any tribunal, especially one presided over by a learned judge, to reach a decision under these circumstances." Last night the morning newspaper workers at Auckland carried a resolution expressing the disgust of the night chapel at the decision of the court and also expressing the belief that the judgment was most unjust. The meeting also pledged itself to support the federation executive in any protest with a view to creating a rehearing by another tribunal.