Carpenters' Threat of Go-slow Policy

Chronicle (Levin), 21 January 1948, Page 3

Carpenters' Threat of Go-slow Policy

^ Press Association)

(Per

CHKISTCIl L: liCli, Jun. 20. A go-siow policy was uuanimously adopted by neariy 1000 members of the Christchurch braucli of the New Zealand Carpenters and Joiners' Union this afternoon at a stop-work meeting. Merubers described as unjust the Arbitration Court in refusing the union. 's application for a wage increase of 14-d an hour on the minimum wagc rates and aliowing the application of companies and iirnis other than builders, for exemption from the payment of travelling time and fares on suburban work. The meeting was originally convenod for the Trades BLall but 10 minutes before the appointed time the attendance was 600, double the hall's capacity, an'd a liurried adjournment was made to the Civic Theatre, The attcndance was about ,1000 when the meeting opened. It was the lirst stopwork meeting ever called for carpenters and joiners in Christchurcht and the atteudance was the biggest over recorded at a meeting of the union. An address on the effect of the Court 's decision was given by Mr, Eoy Staniey, national secretary of the union, who will visit other destricts in the Soutli Island. Mr. E. L. Langley, branch secretary, also criticised the decisions. Mr. John lioberts (president) and Mr. A. B. Grant (secretary) of the Canterbury Trades Council of the Federation of Labour, gave their personal support'to the carpenters and joiners in their protest, and they wero supported by the president of the Plumbers' Union and president of the Bricklayers ' Union. The meeting carried the following motions without dissent: "That members refuse to work at less than 3s 83d an hour and where this is not granted they operate a goslow policy." "That in cases where eniployers who were granted partial exemption from the New Zealand Carpenters and Joiners ' Award, implenaent the policy of discontinuing the payment of fares and travelling time, the carpenters employed by these firms implement a goslow policy, ' ' That: should the union policy deeided fail to obtain the desired result, a further meeting of the branch be held to decide further aeeessary action." The meeting directed that particulars of the .Arbitration Court 's deeisions be forward'ed to the Canterbury Trades Council with a request that action be taken by the council to assist the union to correct the anomalies now existisg " through the action of the Court.