THE STRIKE AT WAIHI

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 216, 31 May 1918, Page 3

THE STRIKE AT WAIHI

STOP-WORK MEETING OF MINERS SUPPORT PROMISED TO ENGINEERS By Telegraph—Press Association. Waihi. May 30. A stop-work meeting of miners which opened this morning as an outcomo of the existing trouble, between the local branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and the local mining companies terminated at i p.m. The discussion throughout indicated sympathy villi tho engineers, and ultimately decided to endorse the following resolution carried at a previous meeting of tho Miners' Union:—"That the Ohine r muri Mines and Batteries' Union of Workers views with alarm the drastidJ action taken by the Arbitration Court (as disclosed by the recent amendment to the engineers' award), whore, on application by tho company for an alteration to tiie wages clause, the Court, without notifying tho union or giving the union the right to protest to such alteration, Fronted the conmnny's appcil. thereby taking up the autocratic attitude that they had the right to make or amend any award lo suit the wishes of any employers, without taking into consideration the workers' side of tho question. We think that such a violation of the principles of arbitration is a menace to the workers of the country, and we as a body demand that the Court rescind its amendment, leaving the original award granted on March lto stand. Failing the Court to do this, we pledge ourselves to fully support any protest or action tho engineers- may take to see that this injustice is remedied."

A member drew attention to the fact that the adoption of the resolution in its existing form mennt-that they would be tying themselves to Any action that might bo suggested by the local engineers, and to make matters clear on this point the following amendment was added to the motion:—"That this union defer action-until such time as the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (headonarters) calls upon the Ohinemuri Mines and Batteries' Union to act." The position now is that all workers in and about the mines and batteries apart from the engineers, resume work as usual. A stop-work meeting of the battery hands at Wnikino this afternoon resolved to await the result of the action of the miners' meeting at Waihi. -Mr. Harle Giles. Conciliation Commissioner, is expected here, with a view to conferring with the disputant parties. The Mayor, in response to a requisition signed by the secretary of the Engineers' Society and four business men, has decided to call a miblic meeting to allow representatives of the Miners', Engineers', and other unions to express their views in connection with the present trouble.