PUBLIC WORKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 145, 20 June 1936, Page 10

PUBLIC WORKS

AGREEMENT ATTACKED ■ UNION CONDEMNATION I VIGOROUS REPLY BY MINISTER. ! ! [ Per Press Association ] WELLINGTON, June IS. ! A vigorous reply was mr.de to-day by the Alinister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, to a series of resolutions carried by the Alotmka branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union in condemnation generally of the new Public Works agreement. One of th. resolutions expressed complete lack of confidence in Hie gen | eral seertary of the union, Mr. A. i Cook, regarding his action in signing ! “such a document as Air. Semple’s .so- I called agreement in view of the fact | that the agreement is of no advantage to the workers who were responsible for Air. Semple’s elevation to Alinister iaj rank.’ “I do not intend to allow such a resolution to go unchallenged,” said the Alinister. “in view of the fact that the agreement, without a doubt, is the best Public Works agreement in the British Empire, if not in the world. The minimum wage has been lifted from 9s to 16s for single men and from 12s to 16s for married men, with 10 per cent, reduction in hours. This is the highest minimum wage ever paid on Public Works in New Zealand or Australia. It is the first time any Alinister in any Biitish Parliament has introduced in Public Works the 40hour week, which has been responsible I for setting the level for all other cm- > ployees throughout the country. The agreement also provides for Alaori workers being paid a wage equal to the pakehas’ wage. It also provides for those employed in public works for two years to receive at Christmas time 14 days’ holiday on full pay and seven days on full pay. For those who have been employed for 12 months this is a new departure. Such concessions have never been given before. In addition, there are many other concessions such ’ as libraries in Public Works camps, better accommodation, better attention and more liberal treatment in cases of accident, while a sincere endeavour is to be made to improve the social life in camps. “The agreement has met with enthusiastic and whole-hearted support all over the Dominion,” continued Air. Semple. “I have also received from j one end of Australia to the other let- | ters congratulating me and the Government on (he treatment we have ineted out to the men on public, works. ) Needless to say, 1 was astonished to read such an uncharitable, unreasonable and callous resolution. I cannot ; bring myself to believe the rank and , file of men working on the job know ] anything about this, although they are ' certainly responsible for allowing it to go out in their name. However, the < - final clause in the agreement gives me ■ the right to cancel all or part of it as it applies to any locality or to the ' whole of the Dominion, and although the terms of agreement have not been violated by the Alotueka branch, the branch certainly declares that it is of no value whatever to the workmen. In view of this fact I am going to call on 1 the men responsible for the writing of ’ this resolution to show why the agreement should not. be cancelled so far as ' they are concerned. I do not wish to force an agreement on anybody, par- ’ ticularly when it is repugnant to them ’ or detrimental to their interests. I have endeavoured to try and improve conditions on Public Works and it is iny intention to continue to do so. Every reasonable thinking person will realise that one cannot do everything ' in a few months, particularly when it 1 comes to reorjjmising a national in- ’ stitution such as the Public Works Department. If the Motueka men, therefore, want to go back on to the old scale they can do so. There are other resolutions that are offensive and , untruthful and 1 cannot imagine the state of mind of the. individual respon- ! sible for drafting it. I will give the ) branch 14 days to show reasons why its : members should remain parties to the • agreement which they have condemned > and attempted to ridicule, or whether they will go back on to the old rates ■ operating before the agreement came , into existence. I am prepared to do • all that one man could do to help bona ; fide workers in my department to earn - the maximum they are physically able I to do, but I am not going to tolerate [ unjustifiable abuse by irresponsible s individuals who seem to be determined to embarrass and obstruct the Government in its effort to play the game > by the honest men, women and chilL dren of this country.”