DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1921, Page 4

DAIRY INDUSTRY.

FACTORY EMPLOYEES’ WAGES. PRESENT RATES TO STAND. / The dispute between the Taranaki Dairy Factory Employees’ Union and the Dairy Companies’ Association was again before the Conciliation Council at New Plymouth yesterday. Mr. T. Harle Giles, Commissioner, presided, and the assessors for the employers were Messrs. A. Morton, J. Marx, and T. H. Penn, and for the employees Messrs. A. Tynan, W. A. Foster, and F. J. Lyons. Mr. C. H. Wynyard was also present. The commissioner said it would be remembered that when the council met previously the dispute was discussed fairly fully, and after careful consideration the conclusion arrived at was that the employees in the dairy in Taranaki were getting fairly good wages, and more than that, that they were fairly well satisfied. After a good deal of conversation the council came to the conclusion that they would see how things went for a monthor so, the employers’ assessors undertaking to recommend to members of the association that the existing rate of wages paid by the different companies should not be reduced pending a radical change in the market of dairy produce. Mr. Lyons interjected, stating that the question of a change in the market price of produce was never mentioned at the- previous meeting. The commissioner replied *that he read the statement to the council. The commissioner’s remarks on this point were supported by Messrs. Morton, Marx, Penn, and Wynyard. The last mentioned speaker suggested the possibility of a misunderstandihg having occurred, as he remembered clearly that Die memorandum had been read.

The commissioner then read a circular which had been forwarded to the respective companies stating, “After a whole day’s- discussion before tlte Conciliation Council it became evident that there was no possibility of arriving at an award acceptable to employers and workers alike. Neither party had any wish to take the dispute to the Arbitration Court. The commissioner then suggested that the employers’ representatives should undertake to recommend all members of their union to make no reduction in the rates of wages now being paid at their several factories until such time as there occurs a drastic reduction in the market price of their produce. This course, upon consideration, the employers’ representatives agreed to adopt. The workers’ representatives accepted this solution and the commissioner announced the compromise as the result of the sitting, further stating that he would be in Taranaki again on March 3, when he would meet the assessors of both sides, and receive reports as to how the arrangement was working. Consequently the assessors now recommend your company and all members of the union to maintain the rates of wages they are now paying until there was a decided fall in the market price of your .produce.” In reply to the commissioner the assessors said that so far as they knew the recommendation had been carried out. It transpired during a general discussion which ensued that wages in the dairy factories in Taranaki were greatly in excess of anything being paid in any other part of the Dominion. Mr. Tynan said the employees were quite satisfied with what they were getting at the present time, but what they wanted was some definite assurance that there would be no change until the end of the season, when, if the employers wished, they could meet and discuss the question again. If, however, there was any radical fall in the price of produce then they were prepared to fall with it.

Mr. Morton said it was difficult to know just-what the assessors for the employees wanted. Already the representatives of the employers had issued a circular recommending that there should be no reduction in wages unless there was some drastic fall in the prices of produce. So far as he knew that recommendation had been faithfully adhered to. Tn fact in his own company they had since January voluntarily increased the wages of one of the employees concerned in the agreement. So far as the question of markets was concerned it had already fallen very substantially, but still, as the assess-ors for the employees well knew, companies never did reduce wages during the currency of the season. In any case the employees ought to be esatisfied with the recommendation made to the different companies.

Mr. Lyons said this vyas not sufficient. They wanted something definite in the shape of a signed document to place before ’ the men. While the assessors- were prepared to accept the word of the employers-’ assessors it was a very different thing when they were dealing ivith. a body of men. • The commissioner said that personally he had.no hesitation in accepting the word of the assessors for the employers and the men should be prepared to trust them too. He had been under the impression that provided everything had gone on satisfactorily since the last sitting of the council there would be nothing further mentioned.

After considerable discussion the Union expressed its willingness to accept the January circular, provided that a copy was posted in each factory in a convenient place accessible to the employees.

The dispute stands further adjourned sine die with the understanding that the Council may be called together at some future date on notice being given to the commissioner by either side. This means practically a settlement of the dispute for the time being, and at any-ra-te for the present suason. On the motion of Mr. C. H. Wynyard (employers), iseconded by Mr. F. J. Lyons, for the Union, the commissioner was thanked for the assistance gi>en to both sides during the proceedings.