CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 July 1915, Page 7

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

CARPENTERS' AND JOINERS' DISPUTE.

Hr. T. llarle Giles, Conciliation.Commissioner for the northern district, presided over a silting of the Council at the Town Ilall, New Plymouth, yesterday to hear a dispute between the Taranaki branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners and the employers of Taranaki.

The demands made by the union were on similar lines to those in the existing award, except in regard to wages. In (lie present award the minimum was fixed at Is CAd per hour, whilst in the new claims it is desired liy the union to add t'/id for the upkeep of tools, making the total Is (id per hour. Several employers applied for exemption 011 various ground.-, but the Commissioner said it was very evident that the union had not created a dispute in tile wav it should have done, and he was doubtful, under the circumstances, w'lether they could proceed. The duty of the union was to hold a. special meeting. formulate its elainih, and approve of them. Having done that, copies of such claims should be forwarded to every firm or person it was intended to cite, giving them a certain time to decide whether they accepted the claims or not.

The, council then went into committee, and on resuming the Commissioner ruled that proper notification of the dispute, together with copies of the union's claims, not having been sent by the union to each firm cited, a dispute had in.l 1,-en created, and therefore there was nothing before the council.

I'lider the circumstances the union withdrew the dispute, will notify the Clerk of Awards accordingly, and will proceed to obtain a new award according- to the requirements of the Act. At the close of the proceedings Mr. \Y. T\ Crooking, for the employers, moved a. beartv vote of thanks to tile Commissioner for the assistance he had rendered in piittiii" the council on the right path. It was evident that the procedure adopted hv the union wo r; irregular. and tliev were indebted to the Commissioner for showing the council the way out of the difficulty. Tin 1 motion was seconded liv 'Mr. Oeorge Vascoe, secret arv of the workers', union, and carried unanimously.