WORK AND WAGES

Southland Times, Issue 18819, 12 May 1920, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES

FRENCH GENERAL STRIKE. INDICATIONS OF A FIASCO. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright) (Australian and N-Z. Cable Association.) PARIS, May 10. There are early indications that to-day’s socalled general strike Is proving a fiasco. The normal ’bus and tram services are running. The underground railway union decided to ignore the strike order. Socialist deputies asked M. Millerand for an interview in order to discuss a resumption of work by the strikers. It is understood that M. Millerand insists on resumption before negotiations BROKEN HILL STRIKERS. REQUEST FOR NATIONALISATION. SYDNEY, May 11. The Broken Hill miners, who have been on strike for nearly twelve months, have decided to request the State Government to nationalise the mines. AFFAIRS IN NEW ZEALAND. PUBLIC WORKS. THE EMPLOYEES’ DEMANDS. CONFERENCE WITH THE MINISTER. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 11. The Minister of Public Works (Mr Coates) had a meeting to-day with a committee representing the deputation of public works men who waited on him on the previous day. This committee discussed with the Minister the details of their demands. The Minister said to-night that some of the questions would have to be considered by the Cabinet, such as the demand for increased wages and a 44-hour week. Working conditions and methods he had discussed with the committee but there were still a few matters to be settled. To deal with these points the men would meet the Chief Engineer (Mr Holmes) the next day. As to the question of canteens, the Government had established these at some works, and in effect the men wished to have this arrangement made general. The question of housing accommodation for the men had been amicably settled. Baths were to be provided for tunnel and other concentrated work bringing the men into fairsized colonies. Sanitary arrangements were to be better provided for in future. An agreement had also been reached on the matter of travelling time. The Minister said also that an arrangement had been made for the settlement of disputes on the job. The men would elect a representative and he, with the foreman, would go into the trouble and endeavour to reach a conclusion. If they failed the matter would have to go to the engineer for settlement. This would be very much better than the present method of coming down to headquarters in Wellington to the Minister of the Department. Many of the demands of the men had already been granted by Sir William Fraser in certain places, but they were not generally applicable. PAYMENT OF BONUSES. CHRISTCHURCH, May 11. The following resolutions passed by the executive of the New Zealand Related Printing Trades Association have been forwarded to Mr Massey; “We are of the opinion that the time has now arrived when the Court of Arbitration should be granted power to give immediate effect to any bonus granted to the workers, either by notice in the Gazette or in the press. At present in some instances a delay of months takes place before the workers get the benefit of the decisions of the Court. Under the present system considerable expense is entailed on applicant unions, and also waste of the time of the Court."