Fire Brigades And Union Question

Chronicle (Levin), 10 December 1948, Page 7

Fire Brigades And Union Question

Pfiess Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Dee. 9. On represeritations by the New Zealand Fire Boards' Association, the Mimicipal Association and the United Fire Brigadc Association, the Government decided to set up a committee to gjve a definition of firemen otlier than fulTtime firemen, and the extent to which 'they. should l)e required to joiu various fire brigade employees' unions. said the Minister of Labour, Mr. Mc Lagan, today. It was suggest'ed to tJbutliree assoeiations and union that a committee consisting of tliree from earh side, with an independent chairman, siibuid • be established and tliey were a'sked to give an apsiirance that the de cisions of the committee would be in corporated in any settlemqnt arrived at befoi'e C'ouncils of Conciliation. The union advised that it was willing to accept this method of settling a longstanding dispute but unfortunately neither the Fire Board's Associationnor United Fire Brigades' Association were agreeable to the ai>pointment of a committee. , • The IStinister explained that over the last twelve months three conferences had been held between representatives of the various organisations and at the last discussion it appe®ted unlikely that the dispute could be linally determined unless some third party was giveu ' authoritv to ma,ke a decision. Il was for this reason that the committee men tioned wa« suggested following the Fir> Brigiides and Fire Boards' Assoeiations' refusal to accept the Govern- ; ment's suggestion of a committee. It ; was proposed that a further c'onferenc.j of all parties be called in Wellington ! next week, at wliich the chairman would have 110 voting power, the idea beiug ] that the parties should again make | every attempt to arrive at a complete ' settlement. I "The United Fire Brigades' Associa- ( tion has refused" to attend a conference of this nature. Their attitude F dittlcult to understand as atteiulance would in no way eomniit their orgatiis- I ation to any particular course of ! action," said ilr. ' McLagan. "It ap pears that the only method by whicb this question can now be determined u-. for the matter to be discussed in Conciliation Uouneil and failing agreenien tJiere, for it to be decided by the ('ouit of Arbitratiou.