UNION MEETINGS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1906, 14 November 1913, Page 9

UNION MEETINGS.

THE HARDENING UP PROCESS. (By Telegranh—Press Aamcintlon.l Auckland, November 13. Several meetings of unions were held at the.Trades Hall to-night, the purposo in most cases being' to keep the men ■m" touch with the Central Striko . Committee. Tho Furniture Workers', Timber-workers', and Paint, ore' Unions all decided to remain solid in favour of the. striko. A meeting of the, Drivers' Union was hold this morning,' 670' members being in attendance. A scries of motions wero put and carried as follow:—"That in tho event of the trouble not being sottled by midnight, the union will call a special meeting for the purpose of cancelling registration under the Act." "That the railway men be asked to make . common cause, and that the branches of the Federation be asked to assist in this direction." "That owing to the hostile attitude of the Mayor) tho drivers of the City Council's refuse'carts bo called out." "That members of tho union bo asked not to call out when in the vicinity of special constables or free labourers' houses." Although the Furniture Workers' Union has officially resolvedthat the strike shall continue and. that its ranks; are "solid," there is much discontent among members. Thero is a provision in tho rules for the taking of a seoret ballot, but no secret ballot was taken in connection with the resolution to strike now. At a meeting to- ' night, although on both occasions it was demanded, members of tho union stated that had such a ballot been taken there would have been a majority in favour of immediate resumption of work. As it is, the tactics adopted by some of the prominent members of the union who are in favour of the strike have made the majority of tho members afraid to express anti-strike sentiments Tho authorities report that 27 members of tho old Watorsidcrs' Union havo now enrolled in the new union, and that to-tlav applications from .at least 50 more had to be declined, along with applications from a largo number of outside workers, owing to tiioro being no work available. Tho Painters* Union has officially denied a statement that tho painters who have boon on striko are returning to work to-day, One of the principal master painters in tho city stated that 20 out of 30 meii who had obeyed the strike mandate had returned to employment. All tho leading employers reported men hack at work, though in a smaller proportion. Painters wore to be observed at ; work to-day in nil parts of tho city and suburb*