UNION’S REPLY TO APPEAL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28260, 24 April 1957, Page 14

UNION’S REPLY TO APPEAL

“Will Maintain Attitude ” (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 22.

“Mr McAlpine’s statement has not perturbed the executive of the New Zealand Dairy Workers’ Union,” said the president Mr A. Whowell, interviewed in Auckland by telephone from Wellington tonight. The union, he said, had no wish to cause disruption in the industry, but would maintain its attitude, because it felt its claims were fully justified. ‘‘The Minister says the proper course is for the dispute to go to the Court of Arbitration because no agreement was reached after two meetings in conciliation,” Mr Whowell said. “I would refer him to a recent decision by Mr Justice Tyndall, who granted a union’s request to have a dispute referred back to conciliation.

“On that occasion, the employers’ advocate opposed the union’s request, saying the matter had been long enough in conciliation. Mr Justice Tyndall rejected this argument, pointing out that there was no appeal from the Court’s decision. Therefore, he said, the Court welcomed requests for disputes to be referred back to concilation—even as often as 10 times. Does not the same principle apply to us?

‘‘We are unshakeably convinced this dispute can properly be settled in concilation, in spite of the employers’ protests that it would cost too much to go on with this procedure. The day before conciliation finally broke up, I moved that the dispute be adjourned sine die, but the Conciliation Commissioner sided with the employers and decided the matter on his casting vote.

“I can understand Mr McAlpine saying the Government does not want to enter into the merits or otherwise of our claims,” said Mr Whowell. ‘‘l shouldn’t think it would, considering it is itself one of the major employers in the industry.”