STRIKE FAVOURED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 219, 10 May 1932, Page 5

STRIKE FAVOURED

(Press Assn.-

RELIEF WORKERS PROTEST AGAINST NEW PAY SCALES

NEW UNION PROPOSED

-By Telegraph — Copyrlght.)

WELLINGTON, Monday. Four or five gangs of relief workers left their jobs to-day as a protest against the new scale of relief rates of pay. This afternoon several hundred men met in the Basin Reserve and decided to strike against tha payment of new wages levy as a protest against the new relief scale and not to strike against work. A number of police were present, and the Commissioner, Mr. W. G. Wohlmann, also paid a visit. There were several speakers, most of whom suggested the formation of a relief workers union independent of the relief workers section of the general labourers' union and of the unemployed workers movement, which one speaker claimed was but a camouflage for the Communist Party. No finality was reached upon this point, but a large majority decided in favour of a strike. Committee of Action A committee of action was set np at the Trades Hall this evening to consider ways and means and to report to a meeting to be held in the Basin Reserve at 9 o'clock to-morrow morning. A deputation had gone to interview the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes and the Minister of Employment, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and the meeting awaited its report. It was later stated that the representatives had been unable to see either Mr. Forbes or Mr. Coates, but that Mr. R. Semple had arranged a deputation to the Unemployment Board and that the result would be announced at to-morrow morning's meeting.