GASWORKERS HAVE CLAIMS REJECTED

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1947, Page 3

GASWORKERS HAVE CLAIMS REJECTED

AUCKLAND, March "4. Clainis by the Auckland Gasworkers Union for au iucrease in pay of 3d an hour for bogeymeu and lire cleauers at the Auckland gasworks, have been rejected by the Tribunal which was set up under the strike and lockout emergency regulations follovving industrial trouble at the gasworks. The union is still pursuing its claim for a new award and has liled an application for hearing by the Arbitration Court at its next session in Auckland. 'A 30 hour weelc and cousiderable increases in pay are sought by the gasworkers. The 'opinion that if the Auckland Gasworkers Union had agreed to the management 's suggestion for working of retort houses on a cooperative basis the present problems in the retort houses would probably have been entirely eliminated, was expressed in his judgment by Mr. O. L. Hunter, Conciliation Commissioner in Auckland, and chairman of the Tribunal which heard the union 's claim. The cooperative scheme, he said, should be thoroughly investigated by both parties before any alternative to existing rates of pay was obtained. Mr. Hunter 's judgment was delivered before the cooperative scheme was rejeeted by the gasworkers in view of the fact that Gasworkers' Union was filing for a new award. He was of opinion that the elaims should be left to the Court of Arbitration to decide when it next came to Auckland. His deeisiom was that existing rates of pay should meanwhile remain uuchangecL