TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

Southland Times, Issue 24228, 11 September 1940, Page 7

TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

EXECUTIVE MEETING OF SOUTHLAND BRANCH

A communication was received from the national secretary (Mr F. Craig) stating that he was negotiating with the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association at an executive meeting of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union. Mr Craig was endeavouring to get the Government to set up a committee of three representatives from the Employers’ Federation and three from the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union for the purpose of advising the Government on all matters connected with the timber industry, and he asked the union to supply details of the amount of stocks held by firms, and whether any workers had been put off because of slackness of trade.

The secretary reported that since the last meeting he had visited saw mills at Bay Road, Longwood. Tuatapere, Papatotara, Alton and Lillbum, also the Waikawa district, Chaslands, Tautuku, Papatowai, Tahakopa’, Maclennan, Glenomaru, Waiwera South

and Kaiwera. The mills were working fairly good time, and all appeared to have sufficient orders in the meantime. Six new members had been enrolled and clearances granted to five members because of their leaving the industry. More than 35 members were known to have enlisted in the Army for service overseas. In accordance with instructions received. at the half-yearly meeting, lists were sent out to all delegates at the various saw mills for the late M. J. Savage Appeal Fund, but so far, it was stated, only about six had been returned with collections amounting to £l3. It was stated that 450 awards had been received and had been distributed to the various mills. Members could be legally proceeded against for a breach of the award if they were employed for two weeks without being a financial member of the union. Income since the last meeting amounted to £97 and expenses to £9l, leaving a cash balance in the bank of £6BB. The sum of £7O had also been sent on to the national secretary as capitation fee to the end of December 1940.