OTAHUHU STRIKE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21186, 5 November 1938, Page 8

OTAHUHU STRIKE

Men Stand Firm Federation of Labour Intervenes Conference To-morrow By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, November 4. Intervention by the National Executive of the Federation of Labour, with a view to ending the strike at the Otahuhu railway workshops, where 1600 men have been idle since Wednesday, was decided upon to-day, and members of the Executive are to arrive in Auckland to-morrow morning to discuss matters with the men at a special mass meeting, which is to be held at the workshops at 11 o’clock in the morning. There was no material change in the situation when the men assembled at the workshops at the usual hour this morning. After holding a mass meeting, and hearing reports from the committee acting for them, the men departed for their homes, and by 10 a.m. the works presented a deserted appearance, only apprentices and a few men on essential duties remaining. The men’s determination to stand firmly behind their claim, and assurances of support from other centres, were mentioned in an official statement issued by the men’s committee shortly after noon. Text of Statement The statement read as follows: “At 7.30 a.m. the men reported at the work shops and prepared to resume work pending official negotiations, provided the department agreed to allow the men to resume work under the conditions prevailing prior to Wednesday. A mass meeting was subsequently held at 8.30, at which the men again expressed their determination to remain solid. A report was received from the delegates to the Auckland Council of the Federation of Labour, which has considered the case, and has given the men its unanimous support, and which has communicated to the National Executive of the Federation in Wellington the justness of the men’s claim. “We have official communications from responsible officials in Wellington that the matter is being placed before the Minister of Railways (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) by the National Executive of the Federation of Labour, and we hope for an immediate settlement as a result of the negotiations. Reports have been received this morning from other centres expressing their solidarity toward the men at Otahuhu.” When the men dispersed, it was felt that nothing further would eventuate until Monday morning. As a five-day week is in vogue at the workshops, the workers had arranged to return at the usual hour on Monday to receive reports on any developments over the week-end. During the afternoon the Disputes Committee received advice that members of the National Executive of the Federation of Labour were travelling from Wellington by the limited express, and desired to meet the men to-mor-row morning, and steps were immediately taken to convene a meeting at the workshops. EFFORTS TO CONFINE STRIKE WELLINGTON DEVELOPMENTS By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, November 4 The principal Wellington developments to-day in connection with the strike of employees at the Otahuhu railway workshops were the entry into the dispute of the New Zealand Federation of Labour and the departure of representatives of the Federation of New Zealand Railway Tradesmen’s Association and the Boilermakers’ Federation for Auckland to-night. It appears from information that can be obtained in Wellington that the national offices in Wellington of the organisations concerned have been concentrating their attention on confining the dispute to Otahuhu and are moving in the direction of obtaining an early settlement there. This morning a conference was held between representatives of the A.S.R.S., Railway Tradesmen’s Association and the National Executive of the Federation of Labour, to which representatives of the Boilermakers’ Federation Union, which includes men employed by the Government as well as the men employed by private firms, were later admitted. It was decided to advise the men at the Otahuhu workshops to return to work under the conditions laid down by the Minister of Railways, who had given an assurance that immediately that was done negotiations would be opened. Upon leaving the. conference officers of the National organisations went to the Hutt Workshops, where a meeting of over 2000 employees was being held at the call of the local combined committee of the A.S.R.S., and Railway Tradesmen’s Association. Mr F. P. Walsh, a member of the National Council of the Federation of Labour addressed the men and acquainted them of the decision of the conference. Many of the workers there have felt sympathy with the Auckland strikers, but the meeting confined itself to passing a motion of sympathy. The meeting decided to leave the handling of the dispute to the Federation of Labour. NO MOVE AT ADDINGTON OFFICIAL OPINION WITHHELD By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, November 4. No official opinion on the Otahuhu strike has been expressed by employees of the Addington workshops, and the men were continuing work as usual according to inquiries made yesterday. Advice has been received from the A.S.R.S. headquarters in Wellington that its members, among whom are included a proportion of the employees at Addington, should remain at work pending negotiations. No action has been taken locally by the Railway Tradesmen’s Association, to which other employees at the workshops belong. Any action in this case also will depend on the advice of headquarters in Wellington.