GLASSWORKERS ON STRIKE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21184, 3 November 1938, Page 6

GLASSWORKERS ON STRIKE

Trouble Over Award Work at Standstill Repercussions Feared By feleorraph—Ptrrp Association AUCKLAND, November 2. As a protest against the delay in securing a fixture in the Court of Arbitration for the hearing of the glassworkers’ dispute, the 150 members of the Auckland Glasswoikers’ Union went on strike this morning. It is considered that the strike, unless a satisfactory settlement is made, will have most serious repercussions in a number of Industries. A statement was made this morning that the award expired on October 21, and the dispute was immediately brought before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr Price) by the Union. Settlement was reached on a number of points, but the major issue, that of an increase in wages, was referred to the Arbitration Court. When the Union applied to the Court, the officials were advised that they would be unable to secure a hearing for six months. In the meantime the management of a firm Involved, the Australian Glass Manufacturers’ Co., Ltd., at Penrose, offered 2/- per week allround increase in wages. The men called a stop-work meeting on Thursday of last week, and instructed the secretary and their delegates to meet the management and put an alternative . proposition in regard to wages before them. This was not accepted by the management and a further stop-work meeting was called for Monday last, but was abandoned because Mr W. E. Anderson, employers’ representative, was not available. The meeting was held last evening when delegates from the Union and the employers held a conference. A further stop-work meeting took place this morning, and the men did not return to work. Unfortunate Period. The manager (Mr W. Kearns) stated this morning that he was notified by the president of the Union (Mr E. Gimblett) and the secretary (Mr J. Purtell) that at the stop-work meeting the men had decided to go on strike, and that a further meeting would be held at 8 o’clock to-morrow morning. It was also stated that the Union had decided to leave the firemen and batch-mixers at their posts until a further course of action was decided on at to-morrow’s meeting. “The trouble comes at a most unfortunate time,” said Mr Kearns. “Our trade is more or less seasonal, and the bulk of our customers are depending on large deliveries at this time of the year. The difficulties that the users of bottles will have to face if the trouble is prolonged will be easy to imagine. The principal consumers are the breweries, aerated water manufacturers, condiment manufacturers, wholesale and retail chemists and the Christmas toilet and perfume trade. If the trouble extends the milk trade will become involved and, in short, every bottle user in the country will be affected.” Mi- Kearns pointed out that the stoppage would have serious consequences. The present output was 5000 gross of bottles per week, and his firm was the only one in the Dominion manufacturing bottles. At the present time they were carrying on with a low output by means of a skeleton staff. Normally there are four units making bottles, and to-day only two were in use and the skeleton staff had been split up into shifts to enable the plant to be manned. Another Industry to be affected, said Mr Kearns, was the manufacture of corrugated cardboard cartons. These were being used for packing wine, beer, spirits and many commercial commodities, replacing wooden cases. Paying Higher Wages To a large extent the only manufactory in New Zealand was operated at Penrose by the firm now affected by the strike, and the employees were members of the Glassworkers’ Union, so that work was at a standstill, said Mr Kearns, who claimed that the company was paying higher wages than in other industries, and he understood that the men’s grievance was not against the company but against the Arbitration Court. The wage in 1931 was £4/2/6 and the stated policy of the Court was to allow an increase of 5/a week on the 1931 figure to meet the increased cost of living. When the last award was before the Court an increase of 4/- was made, bringing the rate to £4/6/6. On this figure the employers now offered an additional 2/-, making the figure £4/8/6, which was claimed to be 1/- per week above what would have been granted on the basis of the pronouncement made by the Court. Furthermore, said Ml’ Kearns, the 1931 figure paid to the glassworkers was held to be above the rates ruling at that time in other industries. Accord!" ; to a member of the Union at the stop-work meeting last week a resolution was carried that work would be resumed pending a conference within 48 hours, but the men were not advised that any conference had been held. Yesterday afternoon a pamphlet was circulated among the men calling a stop-work meeting for to-day to discuss the business for the proposed conference. The pamphlet stated, said Mr Kearns, that the meeting would also consider the advisability of cancelling the registration of Auckland Glassworks' Employees’ Union under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. The meeting was held this morning and a resolution was passed that the men adjourn the meeting until 8 a.m. tomorrow to allow the employers’ representative to s-cufe a fixture for a hearing of the dispute by the Arbitration Court. It was stated that Mr Anderson would appear in the Court at 10 a.m. to-day when he w'ould make the applies tion. The resolution was carried by a big majority. An amendment to the resolution was put to the meeting suggesting that the men carry on work till 8 a.m. to-mcrrow, per ding a definite decision, but it was defeated on the vote of a majority, c-ily a very small majority being in favour of the amendment.