Carpenters’ Union Blames Employers For Present Unrest

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 February 1949, Page 6

Carpenters’ Union Blames Employers For Present Unrest

WELLINGTON, Last Night (P.A.) —“A blank refusal without further possibilities of discussion was the attitude adopted by the employers when they met trade union representatives yesterday in connection with industrial unrest which -tas developed in regard to the recent Carpenters’ and Joiners’ award,” stated the national president (Mr. F. L. Langley) and the national secretary (Mr R. Stanley) of the New Zealand Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union, in a joint statement today.

‘When employers at the conference yesterday read out a brief statemeht simply stating they would abide by the decision of the Arbitration Court they slammed the door against any possibility of a conciliatory solution. In the light of their statement no further discussion was possible

“Thus the unrest which exists among our members will continue, and it is plain that the responsibility for its continuance rests squarely on the employers.

’The matters about which our members are most concerned are: (1) Failure of the court to grant a wage rate of 4s per hour; (2) the action of the court in reverting to substantially the same travelling provisions of the 1943 award, which has since been greatly improved; (3) the action of the court in granting complete exemption of non-builder employers from the payment of fares and travelling time. "It is satisfactory to find that as individuals many hundreds of employers have already recognised in practice the justice of the workers’ claims and, in particular, have refused to operate the lessened conditions of suburban work. Naturally, thei r attitude is appreciated and our members will no doubt take it into account in discussing any future action to be taken.”