WORK AND WAGES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 82, 27 March 1914, Page 6

WORK AND WAGES.

METAL WORKERS’. DISPUTE

\ [Per Press-Association.]

Wellington, March 27

The award made by the Arbitration Court in the Wellington metal workers’ dispute was • condemned at a meeting of local : iron-workers. Considering the evidence given by employers to the Court as to shrinkage of trade and the fact that evidence was also given as to a considerable reduction in the number■ of hands now employed, the- employers held that the award given is against the weight of evidence. They also considered that the granting' of preference was unwarranted. The employers stated they recognised that the present outlook was anything but encouraging, and they held that the granting of higher wages to. unskilled workers is suicidal and will prove to be against the interest, of the worked himself, as it will assuredly mean a reduction of hands in foundries.

Mr Allen, who represented the employers in the dispute, states j;hat the advance and improved conditions granted means roughly an increase of fifteen per cent. This he considered will be serious in some cases where structural engineers are working imder contracts, the prices for labour, upon which they based their quotations being the existing rates. i