GENERAL LABOURERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1012, 30 December 1910, Page 6

GENERAL LABOURERS.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. . The General Labourers' .Conference .resumed yesterday, and'spent, the -whole of the (lay. considering . business connected with tho pfoDOsed, new award. , . . ' •, >' It .was resolved that the union approach tlic employers direct with'a view to . kgcuring oetter conditions of. labour than now; obtain.. .Delegates were almost unanimously opposed to taking the .case.before the Arbitration Court. . Eepresentations' will therefore be made to the employers iri the first place, and.only in. the. last'Tesort will tho union take it's.case to Court. / . ■ . The union has. a grievance'against the City. Council,,which is. the largest it emr ployer of general labour .'in .Wellington. It is alleged.by the.union that the council deliberately defeats the purpose of the award in regard to travelling, expenses by having small buildings erected in different, parts of . the city, where labourers are employed,. and styling them its places of business. Thus work .is never far from tho' place. of business, and' the union contends that in effect men are defrauded of an' allowance to which they' are justly and equitably entitled. . Tho conference decided to, approach the council shortly for better terms., If the plea of the labourers is not successful, it is resolved that the question of travelling allowances and better conditions generally for corporation labourers shall be made a test at the coming Mayoral and municipal elections. Other local bodies beside the City Council, are involved. • ,; . The conference, will continue .its. deliberation's to-day.