LOCAL DRIVERS CALLED OUT AGAIN.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14838, 2 December 1913, Page 7

LOCAL DRIVERS CALLED OUT AGAIN.

TO CEASE WORK TO-DAY.

A meeting of drivers was held in tho Socialist Hall "last night, and was largely attended. Tho advertisement calling th© meeting stated:—"All carters employed in any capacity invited and urged to attend. Tho Canterbury Drivers' Union _eeks your co-operation. Great possibilities." A representative of "Tho Press," under the impression that the meeting was a public ono, attended at the timo at which tho meeting was advertised to begin, but was told by Mr Hiram Hunter that no reporters would be admitted. Later Mr Hunter communicated the decisions arrived at by the meeting, which he gave tho reporter to understand was a meeting of the Drivers' Union.

Following are the resolutions arrived at.—

'"That all members of the Drivers' Union, with the exception- of those already exempted by the Central Strike Committee, be again asked to cease work to-morrow (Tuesday) morning and stand solid by tho union." "That it be a recommendation to the Central Striko Committee to urge the Butchers' Union to take steps to ensure that its members will refuse to handle meat which is brought into town by free labour." [Last Wednesday tho Strike Committee, amongst other, exemptions, exempted drivers who cart meat from the abattoirs.! It was also resolved to request the executive officers of tho union to return to their places in the organisation. ("This refers to the president, vice-pre-sident, and treasurer, who are drivers employed by tho City Council and who returned to work whilo the strike- was on.")

Tho position of the new union was discussed, and it was explained that under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1908, which gives tho Court power to suspend the registration of a union for two years, it was impossible to form a new union in the same industry, and the members of the suspended union are debarred from forming another union. In tho case where a union was not suspended tho Act did not permit tbo formation of a second union in the same industry in tho same industrial district.

It was also resolved to recommend tho Central Strike Committeo to call upon all unionists to refuse to handle anything carted by carters who refuse to obey the mandate of tho Canterbury Drivers' Union.