The Otira Tunnel.

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 6, 20 February 1911, Page 5

The Otira Tunnel.

A Labour Dispute.

A Win for the Men.

[Per Press Association.]

30th January

The Otira correspondent of the "Press" telegraphed at five o'clock this afternoon to the effect that the four o'clock shift refused to go into the tunnel this afternoon. It seems that at a meeting of the local Union last night a deputation was appointed to wait upon Mr. McLean to discuss some matters pertaining to the work. One of the deputation was Mr. Armstrong, who is not employed by Mr. McLean, and the latter refused to discuss matters with any people who were not his employees. At four o'clock the men, some forty-eight of them, took their carbide, and prepared to go to work, but instead they went to the tunnel hall to a meeting, where Mr. McLean met them and repeated what he had already told them. At present the work at the tunnel is at a standstill, and the men are discussing the situation. 31st January. The deadlock that has arisen in connection with work on the Arthur's Pass tunnel continues. The TJnion has decided to hand the dispute to the New Zealand Federation of Labour, and Mr. Semple arrives at Otira tomorrow. The men's grievances, which do not at present enter into the dispute, bear some resemblance to those investigated by Mr. P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner). They insist on upholding the principle that the Secretary of the Union must receive recognition from their employer. Ist February. The tunnel workers at the Bealey Flat have joined in the strike, Avork ceasing there at eight o'clock last night. It is expepted that a delegation of Bealey men will go to Otira to meet Mr. Semple and discuss the situation.

The strike at Otira was not altogether a general onej as the general carpenters and men employed in the engineering shop remained on the works. They have been called "blacklegs" by some of the less restrained among the strikers. These men have been made to feel uncomfortable, though no violence has been attempted. They will cease work this evening, and all tunnel operations will then be at a standstill.

The men in the power-house and those in charge of the pumps at the Bealey have not yet come out, but, according to the Union officials at Otira, they are prepared to do so if called upon. Should they leave work there is a possibility of the Bealey end of the tunnel being flooded.

Mr. Semple arrived at Otira this morning, and is now endeavouring to arrange a meeting with Mr. McLean.

3rd February. A conference was held last night in connection with the Arthur's Pass tunnel strike, between Mr. McLean and several Union officials, and negotiations were continued to-day. Mr. Neil McLean, who has been in charge of the work at the Bealey end, arrived at Otira this morning, and later on, with Mr. Murdoch McLean, he had a two hours' private conference with Mr. Semple, organiser of the New Zealand Federation of Labour.

The attitude adopted by Mr. Semple was that the Union must be recognised by the and also its right to employ its secretary to state the men's grievances. It was admitted, he stated, that none of the grievances were of such a serious nature that the men would have struck without first negotiating for redress.

The upshot of the conference was that another was arranged to be held in the afternoon, when the local Union was represented.

Mr. . Semple stated after the conference that he would advise the men to return to work, as the main point in the dispute, the recognition of the Union, had been conceded.

At a meeting to-night the men accepted the compromise, and a resolution was carried almost unanimously expressing the men's willingness to return to work, seeing that the Union was being recognised. GREYMOUTH, 4th February. Chatting with a reporter, Messrs. Webb (President) and R. Semple (Organiser of the New Zealand Federation of Labour) gave some interesting particulars of the trouble at Otira. They stated that the men employed at the Otira tunnel works are all members of the West Coast General Labourers' which has a branch at Otira. As the men had several grievances, they asked Mr. McLean to receive a deputation, amongst whom was Mr. H. T. Arm-

strong, the General Secretary to the Union. Mr. McLean, however, refused to receive it as long as Mr. Armstrong was in it. The men felt that Mr. Armstrong could be of no service to them without his official recognition. The tailure to recognise him really amounted to a denial to run the business of their Union as they thought lit. As Mr. McLean chose to ignore the Secretary., they felt that their only possible course was to cease work as a protest against his action. This decision they accordingly acted upon. Mr. Armstrong then telegraphed the state of affairs to the Federation, with the result that the President and Organiser proceeded to Otira. On arival there they saw Mr. McLean, and had an interview with him, along with Mr. Armstrong and the local branch Secretary- After several hours ,, conference Mr. McLean agreed to recognise the Union and Federation, and as this was the grievance on which the men came out it was decided, now that the Union had been recognised, to return to work, and this was accordingly done yesterday afternoon. In addition several misunderstandings were removed at the conference.. It has now been agreed that when differences or grievances arise . they shall first be dealt with by the local Union. Failing c satisfactory settlement, they will b< referred to the General Secre tary (Mr. Armstrong), whon Mr. McLean has agreed to meet and whose correspondence he will re ceive and answer. In the event o Mr. Armstrong not effecting a settlement the matters will automatically go to the Federation, the officials of which Mr. McLean has agreed to meet in the future. In this manner it is hoped that all cause for trouble will be obviated. The chief grievance, as far as the men were concerned, was having to work in wet places for eight hours, receiving ten hcmrs' pay for it. As a result oi this week's conference it has been agreed that the men shall work in a " wet place for only six hours., and shall receive eight hours' pay. It is confidently anticipated that work will now go on uninterruptedly at Otira.