CARPENTERS' DISPUTE

Chronicle (Levin), 16 March 1949, Page 7

CARPENTERS' DISPUTE

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Dominion-wide Support For Auckland Employers

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WANGANUI, Maroa 15. "There is only one real issue involved in this dispute. It is . not a question of wages, conditions or costs. It is purely and simply a struggie between organised labour, the Labour Government and decent thinking people, and a few militant union leaders — the question of whether or not the arbitration systein ghould be observed by all the parties which use it. Hinging on this is the question whether or not builders should be faced annually with go-slow or similar disruptive tactics which seriously interfere with the relationship between the employer and his staff." These comments prefaced a report made to the anuual conference of the New Zealand Federated Builders' and Contractors ' Industrial Association on the Auckland carpenters' dispute by Mr. R. C. Savory for the Auckland master builders this morning. Mr. Savory reviewed the history of the dispute, emphasising the cooperation among Auckland employers in refusing to engage dismissed carpenters. Government departments, he said. adopted a policy of refuSing to employ anv additional labour at all during the dispute. "The spontaneous cooperation of non-union builders and other em ployers, togethcr with the Minister oi Labour 's categorical statemeut and his furtlier crusliing rejoinder to Mr. Btaiiley, emphasises that the decisiou t.o resist was the only possible and right one." Mr. Savory said: "On the union "s side there is no really active support from any of the building trade unions except the tilers wlio are rapidiy wtyking themselves out of jobs.. The pecul iar mentality of the union officiais is clearly indicated by the completely j illogical and worthless attenipt to i'oree ' foremen wlio were members of the union to strike. "The only real support the Carpenters' Union leaders have obtained is. that of the Drivers' and Watorside Workers' union which are notoriousiy willing to seize on the flimsiest of pretexts to cause trouble. It is impoSsible to iuake any forecast of developments at this stage, but on the face Qf it the Carpenters' Union may quite conceiv ablv have made a tactical Jcrror in •spreading the dispute. Whatever the! result of that we must coutinue to ' staud absolufely firnl, to keep faitli with ourselves, the other buildersthroughout New Zealand , other employers wlxo are supporting us, and the Government, which lias now rangeu itself quite unmistakably against the union ollicials and a large section oi the carpenters who are ondeavouring to , , articulate their views. We must l>e on guard against union-inspired rumours and tactics to break our resistance down. Members must bear in mind that this is not a question of-an extra 2ld an hour— the issue is wlien there is to be any industrial stability and whether oue party to awards will ac- 1 cept them in the same way as we are' expected to aceept themC ' i Following the presentation of the report an in-committee discussion of the situation was held during which all the delegates expressed their views. The following resolution was subse- j quently approved in open meeting. ' "That this conference approves the action taken by the Auckland Builders'! Association to uphold the principles of the Arbitration Court and law and order; that we congratulate them on the efficient organisation and solidarity ; achieved, and assure them of the whole hearted support of the builders of New Zealand. ' '