GAS DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 132, 28 February 1920, Page 6

GAS DISPUTE

♦ A SETTLEMENT "REACHED BETTER UNDERSTANDING CREATED Tli3 protracted negotiations in connection with the dispute between the-Wel-lington Gas Company and its employees were, completed by the Conciliation Council last night, when, after a final sitting lasting nearly four limns, an agreement was reached. No details of the settlement were made public, the Commissioner (Mr. "W. Newton) announcing that a statement containing the terms, which would first of all Ire submitted to both parties for approval, would be made available early next week. The assessors at the bearing of the dispute were: For. the company, Messrs, A. Dougall, T. Ingerton, and A. Morrie-Taylov; for the union,' Messrs. I). Delanoy (president), T. Burns, bikl K. Brcnnan (secretary). Mr. W, A. W. Grenfell appeared ns agent for the company, and Mr. L. Glover for the union.

At the conclusion of the proceedings, Mr. Grenfell said that as a result' of the lengthy discuss'on that'had taken place on matters, many of which were technical, the parties had arrived at what seemed lo him to 'be a reasonable sr{: of conditions. Mr. Grenfell compliment. «1 the 'Commissioner on the manner in which he had handled the dispute, and remarked that he believed a better understanding would prevail betweeSi the (las Company and its employees. There would -probably be a better recognition of the community of interest between, the workers and their employers. Ke believed that the agreement would be carried out in the spirit in which it had been conceived by the conference. *•

Mr. Glover sa'd be thought the representatives of the Gas Company had hesitated somewhat when the union asked for a conference to discuss a new-, agreement, and that thev also hesitated when they heard who the representatives of the union were noing to be. However, the matter had been thrashed out very thoroughly, and he did not think that anvliody was any the wnr=e for (ho little differences of opinion that bad occurred. Quite a number of the union's claims had not been agreed to by. the employers, but the union was not quite foolish enoiHi to expect that all the claims it put forward'woiild bo granted. He could nssur" the Commissioner that twelve months henSe the union would come back to try to secure the remainder of the claims, which the union considered to hi bist and If».bel : eved that the conference would result in a better relationship between the ens workers and the company, because they understood one pTioH>«r better now thai; thev did before. An effort would bo made to carry out the atrreeronnt i-> -jord oiyl spirit.- In conclusion- Mr Glover raid a warm tribnt.n to Mr. Newton for the valuable advice-ho lied given in trying, to ljrnu about nn a7roerhnnt, and said he hoped that the Commissioner' would preside

Mr. IManoy also 'aid that ho honed Hip conference would result in a good feeling prevailing between the manageji'"iit- i>H Hie emnloycos.

On M,n'f of the Gas Company, Mr. Doiifall said he had much nlensuro in thanking tl"> Commissioner for the way he had conducted the nroeeedines. for it was larg'clv through Mr. Newton's tact tlft the dispute had been Fettled. Mr. Brennan expressed similar sentimonts, and said (hat. as secretary of tho union, he would tin all he could to carry ov 1 ' the agreement.

Tim :Conimissioner paid he was thankful that an agreement had been arrived —a fact which was due to the excellent wav in which' the,parties had dieensend til" matters in /tenure. Tho proceedings hud been somewhat protracted, and a good "art of the agreement, was nuite new. The manner in which* the dismlte had been conducted was a credit to' both sides, and he hoped that tho public would be well served by tho eas workers and' the company while tho ■'agreement remained in.force during tho next year.