SUGAR WORKERS OUT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 276, 16 August 1920, Page 4

SUGAR WORKERS OUT

SUMMARY OF THEIR DEMANDS :By Teleeranli—PrcAß Association.. Auckland, August 15. The sugar workers at Chelsea came out on strike at midnight. A telegram was received from the president of the Board of Trade (Hon. E. P. Lee) yesterday, asking the men to hold off tho strike pending a conference here on Tuesday between the Sydney representatives of the rninpany, .the chairman of the board of Trade, and the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton). The union declined to agree, and at a meeting held this afternoon decided jo remain on striko until its demands aro satisfied. The union secretary, in reply to a request made by Mr. Lee for information as lo the points in dispute, telegraphed yesterday as follows:—"Union wants 44-liours, company 4-8. Will accept overtime at rate of time and a half first three hours, double after. Holidays — Christmas Day, Boxing, Day, . New Year's Day, Picnic Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Anniversary Day, Birthday. Weekly rate wanted—Minimum now .£3 lis., want .fit 145., i.e., .£1 increase per man all round, and Us, retrospective payment from May." The union membership is 170. Th* engineers and fitters are still working. NO RESERVE STOCKS. ! PUBLIC WILL SUFFER. Mr. Lee, President of the Board of Trade, and Mr. W. G. M'Donald {chairman) had intended to go to Auckland to-day to investigate the dispute and have a conference with the union, but their promise to do this was made along with a request to the union not to stop work i(i tbte meantime. The union has apparently not accepted the proposal, v A' stoppage of work must inevitably involve uncomfortable consequences for the public. As everybody knows, there are no reserve stocks of sugar in the country to tide over a period of interrupted production. Such small supplies as are available will have to be distributed sparingly for essential purposes. The present intention of the tard is to supply the country with brown 9ugar should the necessity for such_ a oourse arise, as it certainly will arise if the strike continues for more than a few days.