AUCKLAND LABOURERS DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1315, 19 December 1911, Page 6

AUCKLAND LABOURERS DISPUTE.

* . "GAUNTLET THROWN DOWN." , AN UNREGISTERED UNION. IBr TeleerarU—Proas Association.! Auckland, December IK. "The employers have, thrown down tho ' gauntlet, nnd it is more than likely that it will' not Vie very lonirbelori; it is pick- ' od .up." This statement was made to a i "Herald" reporter by Mr. P. Fraser.' > president of the General Labourers' Union, in the course of an explanation ] of Iho position concTiiins:' tho men's demands lor improved working conditions . and higher rates of pay. On Friday, a ' mectiiifr of employee passed (he.fol'low-in-r resolution: "That, as' tho Auckland builders, contractors, and general lab-, ourers, through their union of workers, have by cancellation of registration severed its connection with tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, the Auckland .quarry and scoria, pit-owners do'not now rercßnisc the union as a constitutional and responsible body,, and therefore decline to discuss terms'of employment of their labourers with its representatives, preferring to make their own .arrangements individually with any workers desiring employment." "This is a deliberate attempt on the. part of (he Employers'- Association to crush out the union, and alto to strike a blow at the I'rderiition! of Lahovir, and it shows that they consider (he Federation of Labour more dancerous-than the Labourers' Union," .faid Mr. ■ l'ruser. "One of the most important features is that they have never considered whether the demands were adequate or inadequate for tin- comfort of the men. They simply aim at defeating the union, and throwing back unionism to the old idea of individual'bareain. "If it is the imnression of tho union officials ' continued- the president, "that the whole of tho , employers are determined to force a fight. ther have shown no consideration for the welfare of tho workers oi- tho city. In the meantime the union is determined in no' way' to force an. industrial crisis, and believes that the employers will take a more rational view of the matter, and meet them at a round-table conference, when tho pros ( and coiis of the workers' conditions can'be cone into. There is' no desire on the part of the union for a strike.' If a strike docs occur, it will be.because ihey have been forced beyond the bounds of "endurance -by the employers." ■"•'•■ ■ ; The genernl opinion amongst the larger • employers directly concerned is : that there may-be a-strike, any-minute, and ■an! industrial.crisis on a scale never experienced in the Dominion before' is anticipated. One laiye "contractor said that three separate bodies of employers had already passed resolutions declinius to discuss !the position with the -union, .and.they were determined to stick to that •attitude, no matter -with what result. These bodies were: (1) The general contractor.-?, (2) the 'drainage contractors, ■and(a). the quarry iind ' scoria pit.owner?. Everything was, he said, pointimr to a strike, thongli ths employers did not wish to force - one. They wanted to bring every industrial dispute under the Con-ciliation-ami Arbitration. Act. which was binding on both parties. • The Labourers' Union-was an unregistered body,'and that was tho employers' reason for refusing to. recognise them in the matter of . the men s demands. The occurrence of such a strike.as is feared would partly patalyse the trado of the city, and if it spread to the transport-workers, tho consequences - would bo widespread and •severe..- ..->.- . . :