STRIKE AT PUKEKOHE

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 285, 19 June 1917, Page 3

STRIKE AT PUKEKOHE

ELECTRIC LIGHT MEN'S ACTION Labour troubles have attended the installation of electric light in Pukekohe and as a result five men refused to return to work yesterday (Monday) morning, when operations recommenced for the week. The curious feature of the strike is that the malcontents appear to have demanded less pay than they w«re actually receiving. Anyhow, a deputation of the workmen waited on Mr Cutten (the electrician in charge) on Friday night last and intimated that unless they were paid at the rate of 10s per day for a week's work of days plus a war bonus of ten per cent, or a total of £3 0s 6d per week, they would "down tools" when work for the week ceased the following day (Saturday) at noon. In vain, Mr Cutten pointed out to the deputation that for a week of 48 hours (five days of 8£ hours each and a half-a-day of U hours, total 47 hours of working and 48 being paid for) at Is 2d per hour they were receiving £2 16s, which carried with it a ten percent war bonus, or a full total of £3 Is 7d per week. For some reason or other the men refused or failed to recognise these figures as coirect and as already stated five of them were no longer working yesterday. In conversation with a " Times " representative one of the " strikers " admitted that the agitation was that they should receive 10s per day and ten per cent war bonus (viz 3s 6d) and on the absurdity of the situation being explained to him he stated that they would be willing to accept 10s per day " wet or fine " without war bonus. Our representative's reply that by law a war bonus was compulsory only produced the contention that casual labourers were being paid 1 s 6d per hour for farm work and for work in the erection of the new dairy factory at Tuakau and they did not see why the same rate should not be offering in jfukekohe. These latter points of argument were, however, not introduced by the deputation that waited on Mr Cutten and as regards the " wet or fine " payment, claim the same is not the practice of local authorities or even of private contractors for wo ks of a like nature. As things now stand three linesmen and five labourers are still employed and, although progress was naturally somewhat retarded yesterday in the erection of the electric light poles, Mr Cutten intends to have resource to the aid of "a jack," which device will take the place of man power in raising the poles into their allotted positions.