NO AGREEMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 129, 2 June 1937, Page 6

NO AGREEMENT

DAIRY FACTORY, WORK

THE COURT TO DECIDE

After two days' deliberation as a conciliation council, the assessors in the dairy factory workers' Dominion dispute agreed late yesterday afternoon to refer almost all matters, including hours and wages, to the Arbitration Court for settlement. The only points on. which agreement was reached were of comparatively minor importance. . '

When the council resumed yesterday under the chairmanship of the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. R. E. Price) it was decided that the settlement of the hours question was an essential preliminary to the adjustment of wages and other issues, and an effort was made to reach some agreement. An adjournment was taken in order to enable the two parties to s.ubmit modifications, and on resumption, Mr. J. Roberts, on behalf of the workers' assessors, presented the following modified proposals: Butter factories—46 hours a week for three months, 44 hours a week for three months, and 40 hours a week for six months. He expressed the opinion that in butter factories the hours should never exceed 44. because the job was being done in several factories tbday on that basis. However, the workers' assessors realised that certain difficulties had to be faced by the factory owners. For cheese factories it was proposed: 48 hours for five months, 44 hours for four months,, and 38 hours for three months:. .

Mr. Roberts said that these represented the workers' bedrock offer. They believed they could get these hours from the Court, but they preferred to make an agreement in conciliation council.

Mr. T. O. Bishop, on behalf of the employers, said the offer was a generous one, but his side could not agree to modify the hours to the extent suggested by Mr. Roberts. His proposals were as follows;— Butter factories^ 48 hcurs for six months (instead of seven), 44 hours for two months, and- 40 for four months. Cheese factories: 52 hours for eight months (instead of nine), 44 houjs for two months, and 38 hours for two months. He pointed out that it was essential for the proper working of the industry that long hours should operate.

Mr. Roberts said that the employers had no right to ask "for more than 48 hours. They were .putting something across the table that the, Labour movement could not agree to.

After considerable discussion, during which little progress was made, the question of wages was discussed..

Mr. Bishop, said''that the employers were prepared to increase the rates of pay by 10 per cent, on the amended hours suggested by the employers.

Mr. Roberts said they wanted a decent offer of wages to work, on the hours asked. "Your offer is Is BJd an hour to work in the factory," he said, "and.you do.it without a blush of

shame. We cannot accept your^ wages. The hours are quite unsatisfactory. The Court cannot give us worse than what you are offering. We believe that the Court will take a sensible view of the position. We believe, too, that the time has arrived for a change in conditions of employment in the industry, and we are going to ask the Court to make that change."

Mr. Bishop said the employers' offer was a generous one, and they were not at' all ashamed of it. They were in advance of anything the Court had done in the past twelve months. "I think it would have been worth your ■yvhile tjO have given it more consideration," he added.