WANGANELLA TRIBUNAL FAILS TO AGREE

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1947, Page 2

WANGANELLA TRIBUNAL FAILS TO AGREE

T -press Association

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, June 9. No agreement was reached by representatives of employers and workers when the Strikes and Lockouts Tribunal on the Wanganella dispute met today after having considered evidence on the woi'kers ' claims for more rnoney. The dispute thus beeame a matter for the decision of the chairman of the Tribunal, tlie Coneiliatiun Commissioner, Mr. o. :Bitchie. He is expected to' give"/f;Ms decisidn * ' 'Cftr Wednesday or- Thursday. The workers- were members of tlie .Wellington Boilermakers and Metal I Workers' Union an'd the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Engineer ing Workers' Union. They claimed 17s (3d hourly for all time spent on the Wanganella when the ship -was on th* reef, including sleeping time. The wage paid by the* emploj'ers, Williaiu Cable and Company, 'was 17s Gd liourly for actual working time. Eepresentatives of the employers oji the tribunal were Messrs. G. C. Camp. J. Cable and K. A. Belford. The workers' representatives were Messrs. C. G. Caswell, J. Neale and A. C. Dellaway. Three submissions were made by tluemployers' advocate, Mr. S. G. Stepheu son, in opposition to tlie workers' de nands. He contended that a vali I agreement had been reached betweeu the employers and workers before the work started on the ship and thus the rate paid could not be altered, that the wage paid was a reasonable one, and that the claim sliould be rejected on principle. It is understood . that the chairman today indicated his view that theic was no i)roper agreement reached by the employers with the' workers as re quired by the men's award when thr wage was lixed. **— — — — — — — — — —