Strike Continues

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 200, 21 February 1914, Page 5

Strike Continues

♦ MASTERS DECLINE OPERATIVES' ! TERMS. HOPES OF SETTLEMENT VANISHED. THE OUTLOOK OMINOUS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, February 20. Hopes that a binding compromise might be reached and the strike be practically settled have (vanished. The men's acceptance of the Minister.- proposals for a flat rate increase to 5s 4d above the award rates, with liours not exceeding 4!) 1 /, as a basis of .immediate resumption was submitted to '« meeting of the employers, Mr. Estell understanding that the employers were prepared favorably to consider it'. ' 'Tin- meeting closed at midnight, and resulted in the masters rejecting the terms. In a letter to the Under-Secretary for Labor, containing the decision, the employers state that from the first the committee appointed to deal with flie matter have taken up the position that they could not make any offer of settlement to employees and that the matter niu* be dealt with constitutionally, in accordance with the Arbitration Act. The committee suggested that if the men made an offer it would be considered, lint as they refused to make such offer the committee would take the ■land that the dispute must be dealt with under the laws of the State. Tliis means that the employers insist on the men resuming under the terms , of the old award, and that the trouble be then submitted to the Arbitration ( Court. * l Mr. Estell, replying to the employ- , ers* letter, claims that they have failed to appreciate the constitutional aspect . of the matter and overlooked the fact that the award is in existence. His proposal was to use the Industrial Court to procure an immediate interim award on which operations would he resumed. It was useless for the masters to say that an offer from the men would be considered, when as a matter of fact they had refused two invitations to ; meet the employees at a joint conference. Throughout the negotiations the employers had given him the. impression j that they would be the first to accept , the suggestions submitted for an honor- , able and peaceful settlement. The grand council of the Meat Indus"try Union meets this morning to discuss the changed situation. The outlook is OTiinoHs and developments are anticipated. The depots are open to-day as they Were yesterday. No chops or steaks are served and huyers must be content with joints. The supply is still below the demand. The masters claim that prices are lower than before the strike. Owing to the failure to reach a s«ttlemcnt aU the cold storage employees will join the strike to-day, cutting off this sour«e of supply. The prices of ; poultry, bacon, eggs, cheese and fish j are steadily increasing. Fish is in great , demand. ( THE POSITION IN MELBOURNE. Melbourne, February 20. At a meeting of tlfe Meat Employees' Uni»n, the employers' offer with regard to hours and wages was adjourned till Tuesday, pending further negotiations. A meeting of master butchers decided that they could not go be.ond their offer of a 5s increase, but agreed to meet the employees and pi ice the decision »efore them. Ko PROSPECTS OF SETTLEMENT. "A GENERAL STRUGGLE PREDICTED. A SUFFICIENT MEAT SUPPLY. Received 20, 8.35 p.m. Sydney, February 20. Mr. Estell shares the keen disappointment of all sides at the masters' decision not to accept the proposed terms of settlement. All negotiations have ceased, and there are no immediate prospects of bringing the parties together. Mr. Estell still hopes for peace, hut will, wait a couple of days for suggestions from either side. No move has been made so far. He gays the masters and men have made applications for a variation of the amended award for working hours. The masters have allowed their appeal to Islpse. The legal position now appears to be that if the men withdraw theirs, art existing award of 49 to 50 hours, according to the class of shop, will become operative. The Grand Council of the Employees Union has declared that the bides and skins of cattle slaughtered by the maserg are "black," and over three hundred wool and basil workers have ceased. The opinion is freely expressed that the cold storage and other unions will be involved. The militant section of tte unionists is talking of a big strike—a general struggle between capital and organised labor. The Employers' Committee met to-day, but beyond a general justification of their attitude, no information was available. The masters continued killing operations to-day. Plenty of free labor is available, but there is no intention of employing it if the depots and several shops are kept open. -The supply appeared to be equal to the demand.