RETURN TO WORK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 189, 27 August 1937, Page 8

RETURN TO WORK

-Press Association.)

Orakei Carpenters to Await Court Decision unanimous decision

(By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last Nigkt. Ceasing vrork last Friday as the result of a dispute over th.e hourly rate of wages the carpenters employed on • the erection of the State houses at Orakei will resume on Monday. It has been arranged by the men and the employers to call a conference of assessors within a week after the Arbitration Court 's pronouncement on the standard wages with a view to effecting a permanent settlement. The men are stated to have been given to "understand that any increase will be operative from the time of the Court 's decision. The agreement to return to work was mado at a meeting of the men iu the Trades Hall. There were a number of speakers, including Mr. W. J. Lyon, M.P., Mr. J. McLagen, president of the Federation of Labour, and Mr. F. Cornish, secretary of the Federation. The ■general conference was followed by a meeting of delegates in the afternoou when a statement was issued by Mr. J. G. Kenncrley, secretary of the Carpenters and Joiners' Union, on behalf of the men at Orakei. Mr. Kennerley said that after a full discussion and eonsideration of the matters in dispute on the Orakei job and the general conditions of the carpenters' award the fully-attended and representative meeting of men decided to resume on Monday. An important feature in making the settlement possible was the assurance that arrangements would be made to hold an early conference between the union representatives and the Builders' Association to discuss wages. and other conditions after the pronouncement of the Arbitration Court on the basic wage for skilled workers. "Any agreement reached at this conference on the matter oi wages will be given immediate effect to and will give an increase of wages to all carpenters throughout the Dominion," Mr. Kennerley continued. "As the Orakei men feel this will achieve their objeo tive as it concerned their own particular job they agreed to resume work. ,It has been given to us to understand that the payment of any increase following the Court 's pronouncement would be made from t&e date of announcement. " Beyond expressing gratification at a settlement having been reached Mr. William Fletcher, director of the Fletcher Construction " Co., Ltd., declined to comment on the terms that had been arranged when interviewed to-night. " '