THE MEAT STRIKE & AFTER

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1702, 19 March 1913, Page 6

THE MEAT STRIKE & AFTER

AFFAIRS STILL COMPLICATED. The complicated situation which has arisen in regard to the slaughtermen's dispute still remains as complicated as ever. There were uo events yesterday to clear matters up. It is the intention of the slaughtermen to cite nil the companies in the Wellington industrial district, ami applications have been made by several of the provincial unions for registration. . / It may lie explained that the fixing of the date, April li, for tho hearing, of the dispute before tho Conciliation Commissioner is only tentative. _ Tho date ia always so fixed at the initiation of proceedings to facilitate the necessary procedure, but tho dat<; is not definitely and legally fixed until proceedings are launched and notices are served 011 tho parties. If the conciliation process goes on, as is apparently intended, it will be threo months at least before an award can bo made.. :

The registration of the new union is not yet completed. The Labour Depart, nient have not yet received advico from the Court as to tho judgment setting aside the Tefusal of registration, and tho Department have 1 done .no more, in the, matter yet. When that advice comes to hand the application will be considered anew. What has happened to date is that tho Court has decidcd that the ground on which registration was refused -that' tho members of' tho 1 new union might conveniently belong to the, other organisation—has been adjudged insufficient. The Department havo now to bo satisfied that the application is otherwise, regular, and then the union'will lie registered as a matter of course.. •No new application will be necessary. It is just possible that the new union' may supersede'the strikers by coming to a final set> t'ement with their employers first. It is understood that the new workers have an agreement drawn up reiki,v for filing as soon as registration is completed, and when it is filed it will have the force of an award. .

A meeting of the strikers union was held on Monday evening, at which it \vas decided not to abandon the struggle. On top of this resolution, however, one striker went back to work at the Gear shed yesterday morning, and there are rumours that other men will ba back at work shortly, There are very few butchers left here now, and a nulnber are .leaving for Sydney this week.