BUILDING AT STANDSTILL

Chronicle (Levin), 25 March 1949, Page 4

BUILDING AT STANDSTILL

Press Association)

' ■ ■ 11 — Nearly 1600 Carpenters Now . Away From Work

(Per

AUCKLAND, Marck 24. . Auckland 's building industry nas now been almost at a standsuil for five weeks following the mass dismissal of carpenters bejause of their go-slow tacties. With nearly 1600 carpenters away j'bm their usual work housing uiid other building programme's aave suffered a check that can uever be overtaken. The authori-

cies consider that £350,000 worth of building has been lost in the Auckland district during those five weeks. The master builders have probably lost at least £35,000 in gross prolits during the deadloek. Wages paid to carpenters during that time would have amounted to about £78,000 as they were earning an average of about £9 15s a week gross, including vjvertime and tool and travelling allowances at the end of last, year. Most of the carpenters, however, have* not been idle long. They lmve found jobs mostly as unskilled workers in a variety of

occupations. The Carpenters . Union had never divulged tl\e .lumber.of members registered as unemployed, but it is believed th^t it does not exceed 300. Some of the carpenters who have found new work may be lost from the building industry for all time. About 600 carpenters were working 011 State houses when. the lispnte started. House-bpilding programmes are generally estimated on the basis of one lionse a year for each earpenter, therefore the output wrill have declined to Ihe extent of about 60 State hoines. It will be some time before the full effect of tlie hold-up is i'elt because sub-contractors lmve continued to work. - Tomorrow the deadloek will drag into its sixth week with still sio sign of settlement. The union made payments to unemployed carpenters from its "lockout I'und" today for the third successive week, and these payments will be continued tomorrow,, jlt, - was not stated how many men were eligible. t ' '

One of the sequels to the carpenters' dispute, the meeting oi Ihe Drivers' Union to consider the removal of the union 's permanent officers, is expeeted to he held shortly. No statement was made by the secretary of the union (Mr. L. (4. Matthews) today, but pne was issued by the drivers who made the requisition for the me6t-- /' ing. They stated that the time . and place of the meeting was en- • tirely in the hands of the union officialSv The campaign for the meeting was gaining widespread* snp])ort. A central information service had been set up and the drivers were being fully acquainted with all developments.