FERTILISER STRIKE

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20843, 29 June 1939, Page 14

FERTILISER STRIKE

EMPYLOYERS’ CASE OUTLINE OF CONFERENCES (Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Thursday The employers yesterday issued a statement in which they commented, inter alia:— “In October. 1938, the Court of Arbitration issued a series of new awards covering workers employed in chemical manure works throughout New Zealand. The awards came into force on October 24, 1938, with a currency of two years. “The workers were dissatisfied with the terms of the awards, contending that they should have been made for a shorter term, that the wages should have been higher and granted retrospectively. “Mr Hunter, who represents the Minister of Labour in dealing with certain industrial disputes, arranged two conferences. The employers stated that they were not prepared to grant ah increase in wages nor to make any retrospective payment. However, the employers did agree to join with the unions in asking the Court to amend the awards so as to make them expire on June 14, 1939. The employers made It clear that they agreed merely to enable the workers to state their case to the 'Court a second time. J*his proposal the workers accepted. “At the close of the conference the employers understood clearly that the workers were to submit proposals for a new award in the ordinary way, and that the wage question was to be referred to the Court as promptly as possible, that the workers would state their case a second time, and that the parties would accept the award issued without further dispute. In order to avoid delay the employers offered to join with the workers’ representatives in asking the Court to fix an early date for the hearing, indicating that they would be prepared to attend a sitting of the Court at any centre—even Christchurch or Dunedin—where a day could he set aside for the hearing.”