RIVAL UNIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16487, 28 February 1914, Page 13

RIVAL UNIONS.

TO THE EDITOR. Si l - ) _Seeing that the state of tension between the two organised Unions of Carpenters and Joiners in Christchurch has become known to tho general publio and that most misleading and onesided statements, have been made by the officials of the Canterbury Cai-pcn-ters* and Joiners’ Association and their henchman, we wish to put the tacts before the public and more especially the members of tho Canterbury Carpenters’ Union. What is carefully kept from tlie members of that body is the fact that all the arguments advanced by Messrs Barr and Rusbridgo bad been submitted in the negotiations with the delegates of the Builders’ Federation at Wanganui and Wellington, presided over by Mr Hally and adjudicated upon by the Court of Arbitration at Dunedin,. the result being the award quoted as the Dunedin Award.

The following memorandum was inserted by the president of the Court:— “ Some trouble has been taken by tho Court in putting the term? agreed on by the x>arties into proper shape and the present award is really tlie form in, which awards will be made in other centres. Tt will be useless, therefore, for the assessors in these centres to attempt to improve the form of the award by making alterations and additions to the machinery clauses.” As sensible men we accepted this- as final and made no attempt to alter the said clauses, which include in tlieir number “ The : underrate workers’ clause,” which is amply safeguarded in clauso fid of the Arbitration Act Amendment. 1908. A'clause worded in its entirety by the Court is not‘likely to be modified in any of its details, and the remarks made concerning bushwhackers and wood-choppers amount to an .admission of astounding ignorance of the provisions of the" Act.

Wo have on several occasions endeavoured to meet the rank and file of the Canterbury Carpenters’ Union to place the whole position before them, but our efforts have not been successful. On December 8, 1913, immediately following the Wanganui Conference. we wrote asking for an.interview to lay tho schedule embodying the proposed award before them; but we received no reply. We, again wrote on January 13, 1914) and received n .reply, that tho matter would be considered at an early date. Since then wo have received no further communication on the subject.

We feel confident,that if an opportunity were afforded us to interview the members of the Canterbury Carpenters’ Union all this controversy would bo at an end. and we are satisfied that apart altogether from the wages clause, the recommendations will compare more than favourably with any award given in the dominion.—We are, etc., FRANCIS A MOODY, Chairman , District Committee. W. J. ASHBY, Secretary Christchurch Branch. F. J. BE ARNE, Secretary Sydenham Branch. Amalgamated .Society of Carpenters and Joiners.