WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16484, 25 February 1914, Page 10

WORK AND WAGES.

( LONDON BUILDING- TRADES STRIKE.

' A RESULTLESS CONFERENCE. By Telegraph—Press Asboc.otion-Copyright. 1 (Received February 24, 10.35 p.m.) ! LONDON, February 24. The building strike conference came to an abrupt termination. The employers suggested that the unions should give financial guarantees that agreements would be promptly observed. The men’s delegates refused a monetary pledge and suggested that the executives would deal with men violating agreements. ■ The masters replied that the offer was useless. The masters refused to recognise the Industries Federation. I The men have approached Labour members of the House of Commons with a view to Parliamentary intervention. ■ AUSTRALIAN WATERSIDER 3. OVERTIME; TROUBLE NOT 1 1 •; . ../SETTLED. /. ; SYDNEY, February 24. Although the Wharf Labourers’ Union decided to. resume working overtime the coal lumpers refuse to. work after hours. SYDNEY BAKERS THREATEN TO STRIKE. MOVEMENT TO ABOLISH NIGHT--1 WORK. ! (Received February 24, 9.40 p.m.) S . SYDNEY/ February 24. The bakers threaten to strike unless the masters consent to a conference to discuss the question of the abolition of. ipight work, 1 • r WELLINGTON SHIPWRIGHTS’ f DISPUTE, i [Per Press Association.] \ , . WELLINGTON, ■ February 24. The shipwrights’ dispute was before the Conciliation Council _ to-day _ and yas .discussed at length in committee. The Union claimed a forty-four hour week, with wages at Is 9d per hour. »Tho employers’ proposals were a week of forty-five and a quarter hours,. vnd wages at Is 6d per hour. Mr Kennedy, secretary of the Shipwrights’ Union, stated that the employers had refused to meet-the Union, which was prepared to discuss the pro- • posals. Mr S. Wood, representing the employers, 6a id that the demands were in ' excess of the claims put forward • before the strike. ' The employers could not entertain them. Subsequently the Commissioner, Mr Hally, stated that further consideration 'of the matter had been postponed till, he calls the parties together again. 'He expressed the belief that a complete settlement of the points at issue could be reached.

WATERFRONT WORK. .WELLINGTON PROSPECTS GLOOMY. 1 [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, February 24. The prospects along the waterfront ' for ithe coming ’ winter are not very bright at the present time in Welling»ton. Even with work in full swing /there is a great deal of unemployment 'as the result of the recent industrial "turmoil, and with the natural fallingin work the trouble will be made Sail the more acute. Many of the men who were formerly engaged on the /wharves, have had only very casual •lemployment and some of'them practically none at all for the past three months, and it is these men, totally unprepared for the financial strain, who will feel the pinch most severely. Owing to the large importations of overseas coal much extra work has been provided, but all these cargoes have now arrived and when they are unloaded there'will be a serious shortage of work. .. A DISMISSED TALLY CLERK. ACTION BY LABOUR DEPART-y;-MENT. t/ ["Per Press Association.] t : ' WELLINGTON. February 24. s, In the Magistrate’s Court to-d.ay, be- . foe Mr Riddell, S.M., the Inspector of Awards sought -to recover from Messrs ? Bannatyne and Company, Limited, £25 '.us penalty for a breach of the provi- . siohs of 'section • 6p of the Industrial .Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Act, 1908, in that they employed on December, 1913, as tally ’ rilerk, E. V,.Foucard and dismissed him -'from such employ merely because he > was president of the Wellington Ship : Tally Clerks’ Industrial Union ,of ' Workers. Mr Bailey, Inspector of Awards, said that this was a rather unusual case. During the recent industrial trouble, the employers issued an ultimatum that they would not recognise any Union unless it was registered under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act.

The tally clerks formed a Union

December 11 Foucard, president of the Union was engaged by the Company. On December -23 he started a little af- : ■■ ter eight o’clock and shortly after nine | Mr -Nathan, one of the principals of the firm strolled' along and “ passed the time of day ” with him. Soon after ; i a messenger came from., the office and {told Foucard that a man named 01j liver had been appointed in his place. ■ Evidence was given by Foucard, and ' jthe. secretary of the Union read the minute of the appointment of Foucard :; as president. Frederick Charles Olli,'l ver said he- took Foucard’s place on {December 23 by order of .Mr Wright, ; who engaged the clerks for the Anchor . {steamers. He (Olliver) was not a mem- ., her of> the Union and did not think ■ \ half . the tally clerks belonged to it. \ Witness heard • it rumoured that FouJ card was president of- the new Union, : * but he did not see any notice to this {effect. .. .J .The Inspector of’Awards said he in- ! terviewed Mr ' Nathan' with reference 1 to the alleged breach. Mr Nathan said, {.'fie was {not aware {of the. formation of {a Tally Clerks’ Union. Hd told wit- .; ness that half Of the members of the 4 new Union were “ wasters,” and he ‘{would not employ any of them. The Magistrate said there was no evidence to 1 show that Foucard had : {been appointed president of the Union . ■{ on. December 11. Plaintiff would be . I non-suited. ! t ' l THE FURNITURE TRADE. [Per Press Association.] r ': - , WELLINGTON, February 24. r An important conference affecting i the furniture trade will be held at Christchurch at Easter. •Delegates from the New Zealand rurniture.Trade Employees’ Federation . and the Federated Furnishing Trkde jt Society of Australasia will be present, 'and the.question of federation between Australia and New Zealand will be dis|cussed; • • • - '■ Another question will be the, establishment of a,federal trade journal to protect the interests of the furniture {i trade workers throughout the whole of . |Australasia. DUNEDIN SADDLERS. A CONCILIATION CASE. < [Per Press Association.]. ( DUNEDIN, February 24. j A sitting of the Conciliation Council .was held to-day to hear a dispute filed by the Saddlers’ and Hamess-and-Collar-makers’ Union. An award governing the wages and working con-

ditions of the''saddlers was made some months ago but cover-makers were struck out of the list of employers by the Arbitration Court. The Unioii pointed out that cover-makers were included in all northern awards and asked for a separate award for them. The wages asked for were Is 3d per hour with 48 hours a week, and other conditions similar to those granted under the saddlers’ award. The employers objected to the introducing of cover-makerstin'tbe- saddlers’ award. After j a.'discussion lasting about an hour the Commissioner . (Mr Triggs) stated that* he'.would recommend the Union to ask the' Arbitration Court to include 1 cover-makers in the award.