No New Developments in Carpenters' Dispute

Chronicle (Levin), 19 February 1949, Page 5

No New Developments in Carpenters' Dispute

press Association)

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AUCKLAND, Feb.- 18v No attempt from any _ quarter . Wft0 made to settle the disphte" between Ihe • Auckland Master Builders ' Assoeiatioii and the Auckland - branch of tlie Chi1penters ' ' and Jointers' Union v to-day. Cohiii'mation -that employment^ of at least 1500 m6n had been terniih.ated in the Auckland district hs far SOUtlj. as Tuakau, had been reeeived up -te I;. o'clock this evenihg by the secretary of the association, Mr. M. F. Bunkef; The unempioyed 'carpenters afe fdgort jing to the union 's ofliee for fegiStrktitJh vvilh a view to receivi'ng gitstenance from the lock-out fuiid if the dispute oeeomes protractefl. Some of the men ; told a reporter that they were' considenng making axiplieation to the SociaJ I oevurity Department for Uitempldyment oenefits. The union 's future course of ^aetiofi will be decided at a conference of job delegates in the Tradfes Hall on Mon-. lay and a mass meeting of members' on Tuesday. In spite of the union 's request, some of the' men had not removed their tools of trade from jobs after their dismisoal, .said Mr. Bunker. No negotiations aad taken place between his assoeiation and the union since the go-sioiv poliev had begun. Outside Support i The action of the big builders and tnerchants in forcing a lockout of carpenters, is having the effect df cdtisdln dating the ranks of our members and gaining the support of other trade unionists, said the secretary of tlie union, Mr. D. McEwen, in a statement ponations and promises of flnanciai suioport had already been reeeived^ The unanimous decision of the nationc) couneil of the Federation of Laboui' to give full financial and moral support to the locked out carpenters aiid to eall for subscriptions^ indicated that the importance of resistirig the employers' action was appreciated by the rest of the trade union movement. The efirol • uient of all members now idle had be gun and would be continued oii Monday with a view to the distribution of lockout pay for as long as the dispute lasted.

Little Woi'k Done The absence of carpenters was obvious to-day in every district visited where houses are under construCtioni dome houses in various stages of completion were deserted. At others therC was still a sign of life as labourers and other workers not effected by the builders' mass dismissal move, carried on with the work in hand. The little car pentry still being done, howeVer, WaS confined to employers who iiormally work on the jobs, apprentices uhdfer supervision of employers and foreiheii, and a group of rehabilitation trainees. Cn tlie large scale State hdUSlng schemes at Tamaki and Mt. Roskili, comparativeiy few men were at work but those who remained were far from idle. Brieklayers, piasters, plumbers, drainlayers and others carried on as usual and there is plenty of work aheacl for most of them. Tilefs may be aitnolig the first of the workers in the allied trades to suffer from the absence of carpenters. Relatively feW of the houses are feady for their roofs and the rest cannot be tiled until carpenters set up the frainework. Builders 1 labourers seem to have ample work in hand oh State housing jobs. As builders have contracts for several units, they can easily^ divert men to work 'ahe&d, such as the building of foundations. i'ainters and plumbers apparentiy could carry on almost indeflnitely.