LOCO DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10295, 2 June 1919, Page 4

LOCO DISPUTE

REPLY FROM THE MEN SUGGESTION TO MEET IN CONFERENCE ACCEPTED. The New Zealand Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association proposes to send the following letter to the Acting-Prime Minister today : We have the honour to advise you that your letter of the 30th ultimo, which conveyed the Government’s reply to the request from this association, for to appoint a conciliator has been duly considered by the executive council of this association, and they direct that a reply shall bo sent seriatim. The executive council respectfully submits that the Government has evidently been misinformed in regard to the representatives of this association refusing to meet the Minister for Railways in a round-the-table conference to discuss the Government’s scheme as submitted to this association. # The representatives from this association have never refused to meet the Minister in a round-the-table conference for such a purpose, and they will he pleased to know what date upon which you have been advised ks to their refusal to discuss the Government’s scheme. ( With reference to the Government's suggestion that such a conference bo hold, wo are directed to accept the <-»oy eminent’s suggestion, and by so doing we hope to convince the Government that we are sincere in our desire to avoid any industrial trouble. Further, w© are directed to ask that as the dispute is between the Minister for Railways and this association, the -rfon. Mr Myers, Acting-Minister for Finance, shall act as chairman at the conference. Wo are directed to submit this gentleman’s name, because of tlie experience which he has had iu railway administration.

Tlie association will, in such a round-the-table conference, submit their objections to tho Government’s scheme, provided the Minister for Railways submits his objections to. tho association’s scheme. W ith reference to the Government’s strong recommendation for this association to follow tho example of the Amalgamated Society -and -accept, the - Government’s scheme as, submitted to this association, we are directed to respectfully point out to tho Government that this recommendation is manifestly unfair, inasmuch as the Government has placed at least one acceptable proposition in the scheme submitted to the A.S.R.S. and which -is not contained in the scheme submitted to this association, namely, a forty-four-hour week for the forty-eight-hour week’s pay. There,' is.:nothing in the scheinje which is submitted to this association for improved conditions and which is not applicable to the members of the society which you refer to in your letter. • With reference to the Government’s suggestion, that the scheme be given a fair trial, we are directed to respect-, fully point out tq you that the men,. are now working under . the. scheme, and it seems ■ very, .evident -that. .you-' inaye <. again - been misinformed. The. men have, by a majority of 99i per cent., decided that the Government’s scheme as submitted to their association does, not ‘‘fill the bill. T ’ With reference to the statement in your letter referring to -the Arbitration Court, we are directed to state that no reference was made to this association coming under the Industrial Conciliation H'SBd atebltfatioiC ’ Court, in the signed statement presented by this association to you on the 13th of May by the representatives of the men from all their branches. Therefore, this reference in your letter is superfluous, and requires no comment herein.

The executive council regrets that the Government could not accede to the request for a conciliator. as suggested in the signed statement, but we feel sure that'if the'Government is sincere in its desire to prevent industrial trouble, no objection, will be raised by the Government to the. Hon. A. M. Myers’ acting as chairman at your suggested conference. The executive council will be much obliged if the Government will give a reply to this letter during the. present week. — We are (signed), E. W. Henderson (president), W. McArley (secretary).