PECULIAR POSITION

Hokitika Guardian, 7 October 1932, Page 6

PECULIAR POSITION

IN ENGINEERING TRADES. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) WELLINGTON, October 7. A peculiar position has arisen in !Tie amalgamated engineering and allied trades as the result of the decision to cease work. Over 500 workers may come out. While the Dominion Conciliation proceedings though adjourned for a fortnight have admittedly riot definitely failed. The strike- is not a strike of the Union'but a strike of the men. It follows a decision of a stop work meeting at trades hall yesterday, as the result of the action of ! Patent 'Slip Company, which at noon put tip a notice advising its men that their engagement would be terminated on Wednesday evening, and they would be re-engaged only on the employers new proposals. Under the old award' the rates paid were 2/3 per hour less teh per eqnt. The new proposals it is stated, range from 1/6$ to 1/10}, and one of the new conditions is that there shall be no clock hours, the effect of which will he that employers could call on the men to work at any time within 24 hours, and that they ’ wou,ld have to work eighti hours before they would receive overtime.

‘The men refused to accept the conditions and held a- meeting which decided to inform other members of the unions concerned of what had taken place.

A stopwork meeting followed at the Trades Hall, this meeting deciding that the men at patent slip cease work. A number of men in other shops ceased to-day.

. The secretary of the Wellington branch of the Amalgamated Engineers Union, Mr A. Black, isays the union is appreciative of tji'e ,-action of tFie Patent Slip Company in hitherto paying full rates qnder the old award, and observing its conditions, which they have done till Wednesday. On Wednesday the metal workers separate award expired at midnight. Apparently say s Mr Black, pressure has been brought upon the Patent Slip Company by other employers, who are not paying the award rates. Technically the Dominion position is not affected by the Wellington strike, but it is possible that shipping out of commission may be affected. There is no boat on the patent slip at present.