TAWA FLAT TUNNELLERS

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 34

TAWA FLAT TUNNELLERS

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTE MEN RESUME UNDER PROTEST. WELLINGTON, June 11. The dispute between the Government and the tunnellers employed on the Tawa Flat railway deviation has now been settled. The men have agreed to return to work under certain conditions which have been accepted as the result of a readjustment made by Cabinet in the system of payment for tunnelling. The tunnellers ceased work eight weeks ago tomorrow and although there had been protracted negotiations between the two parties it was not until to-day that a settlement was reached. The Government’s ultimatum that if the men did not turn to others would be engaged to take their place, expired to-day, •when tire Tawa Flat branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union also held a meeting to consider the position. The meeting lasted over three hours, and in the afternoon the authorities were again approached by representatives of the men. The Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) stated this evening that the men had agreed to go back to work at the Government’s prices and that the Public Works Department had given them until midday to-morrow to sign new contracts. The agreement to resume was conditional upon the stoppage of work during the last few weeks not constituting a break in service for holiday purposes and also upon the inspecting engineer being sent around several jobs to check up on the reduced prices for the work. Both conditions had been agreed to. The general secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union (Mr Arthur Cook) stated that it had been decided to sign revised contracts under protest and return to work subject to the department agreeing to the departmental engineer visiting all standard jobs in company with a union representative and reviewing the contracts and to the department agreeing to restore the holiday and other privileges, notwithstanding the breach of service caused through the lock out. “ The men are still of opinion,” said Mr Cook, “ that the prices are low beyond question and that the cuts imposed upon them are neither fair nor equitable. Their acceptance of the department’s prices and conditions in no way indicates the men's satisfaction.”