Carpenters To March For Social Security

Chronicle (Levin), 22 February 1949, Page 5

Carpenters To March For Social Security

Press Association)

(Per

AUCKLAND, Feb. 21. About 1500 carpenters are likely to parade outside the Town S'ali tomorrow morning and, carrying placards, march down Queen Street to the Social Security Department's offices to ask for unemployment benefits. A mass meeting of members of the Auckland branch of the Carpenters' Union will be field in tlie Town ilab at 8.30 to discuss their dispute with the builders and their dismissal following the use of go-slow tactics. A proposal will be put to the meeting that the men should march to the social security oflices. The national secretary of the UiiiOn, Mr. Roy Stanley, will addres? the meeting and deal with the history of the dispute over wages and eondi tions. One reeommendation for the meeting to consider will be that a meeting oi carpenters' wives should be heid so that the (fispute can be explained to them. If this is adopted, the women 's meeting may be field on Wednesda.y morning. If the deadlock continues until tlien a mass stopwork meeting of unionists iif trades allied to the building industry, may be held on Wednesday morning of next week. Executives of building unions as well as representatives of the waterside workers' and drivers' unions met at. midday today to discuss the dispute. The executives represented the painters and plumbers and gasfitters and labourers and brick workers and electricians and roof tilers' unions. It was decided unanimously that, having heard the Carpenters' Union dispute outlined by Mr. Stanley, the executives were ot opinion that the carpenters had a just case and that their unionists should be recommended' that the fullest suppon be given to the union. It was -further agreed that for the purpose of obtaining the full endorsement of members, the representatives considered that a mass stopwork, meeting should be held in Carlaw Park at8 a.m. on Wednesday week. The reeommendation will be put to the union in the next few days. The Auckland branch of the Plasterers' Union has already given autharity for the ealling of a speeial meeting to take the form of a stopwork meeting if neeessary. It was also decided that the Timber Workers' Union and any other interested union, should be invited to take part in the mass meeting. The secretary of the Auckland branch of the Carpenters' Union, Mr. D. McEwen, said that^the Wellington branch had voted £450 to the "lockout fund" and adyised that further finahcial support was being organised.