INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1640, 21 November 1916, Page 3

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

AUCKLAND DRIVERS TO strike.

Auckland. Novem. 20. A mass meeting of the Drivers’ Union to-day resolved thal the following notice he sent to the Minister of Labour:— “It is with the deepest regret that we have now to advise ,\ou that seven da vs .from this date the drivers of this district will declaie a strike, 'fhe tim-' K ,r su( ‘ h iin at ' l ; will operate from the expiration of the old award. A e tally realise lh. seriousness of taking action, hut wc have a duty 1" perform, not only to ourselves hut to onr viw. ami children, whom we consider are entitled to better maintenance and better home life, than wo aie now able to give them owing to the vei> low rate of wage we receive Further ire consider lhal we would he lacking a I least in manhood if we submitted l<> the terms and conditions laid down in the award which places the standard of drivers’wages forty per cent. lov. ei than any other trade or call ing.'’ Delegates are to proceed to Wellington to-morrow and other centres are being invited to lake like action.

FLAX WORKERS WILL HELP. A.I an executive meeting on Saturday of I lie Manawatn Elaxmills Emplovees’ Union (he following-re-solution was carried: — “That the Executive Committee) of the Maimwafn Flaxmills Employees’ Union views with disgust the recent award granted the iMotor and Horse Drivers’ Union by the Arbitration Court, and tenders their assistance to the Union, in any way they deem advisable to obtain just and fair treatment for their labour.”

HISTORY OF DISPUTE. THE UNION CLAIMS. The drivers’ dispute was heard as a Dominion dispute, (hough separate awards were made for the different districts. Before (he case came under the Court’s notice attempts had been made to secure an agreement at private conferences, and before the Conciliation Council. All these proved abortive, the main obstacles in the way of a settlement being Ihe questions of wages and payment for stable attendance. The Arbitration Court heard the dispute in Wellington in May. 1 and immediately made an interim award, fixing wages at £2 12s for drivers of onehorse vehicles, and .12 Ills for drivers of two horses. Tins was an increase of 4s a week on the previous rates. Similar interim awards were made in other centres pending the hearing of evidence and argument in all districts. In Wellington the union contended that a special, increase should be granted in that city, in view of the .higher cost of living ami higher rents there. The employers replied lo (Ids Hint the anion had previously preferred the Dominion award, and wished now to have differentiation so that later districts might he brought up to Wellington's level. The employers further contended Hint though Wellington was now prosperous owing to special circumstances, (lie driving trade in other centres had no fund from which to pay further increases in wages, and could not jiass such increases on owing to the compelilion of private carriers. To this (he union replied that carrying charges had already been raised in Auckland, following the inlcrim award. The union claims were .Cl a week for one-horse drivers and Cl IE for two-lmrse drivers, with payment for stable attendance, anil a reduction of hours.

The tiua! award of the Court was made mi HOlh October, it made no further increase in wages, hut provided that stable attendance should he limited l<» four hours per week for one-horse drivers —instead of eight hoars as formerly—and the ordinary hours of work should be limited lo nine per day. The union contends that neither of these concessions is of any particular helical- t, ( Wellington. The principal dissatisfaction has arisen with regard to wages. In Wellington the anion contended, before the Court, that it had received, increases of (>.(* and ! per cent, in wages in fifteen years, while other unions had •blained much more, and the cost of living according to the Government Statistician, had advanced over 2h l ,er cent. The employers argued that in twenty years, drivers’ wage* bad advanced from libs to 52s (including the advance made hy (he interim award), while the mist of. living had risen 28 per cent.