SUDDEN STRIKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1938, Page 8

SUDDEN STRIKE

ON RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION WORKS. SERIOUS VIEW TAKEN BY MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Press Association, CHRISTCHURCH, April 13. Without any warning, 60 Public Works Department employees on railway construction work at Goose Bay went on strike on Tuesday and, without the permission of the engineer in charge, they resumed work this morning. A serious view of the men’s action is taken by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, who, after receiving reports from departmental officers; sent the following telegram today to the president of the Puketa branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union: — “I take the strongest exception to the action taken by the branch of the union of which you are president in ceasing work on the job in violation of the workers’ agreement. Machinery clauses make ample provision for thorough investigation of any grievance or grievances any section of workers may have from time to time. By striking without exhausting those privileges you have ignored your liability under the agreement, let down your own national organisation and been unjust and unfair to both the Government and the department. If you and those associated with you think you can ignore all constitutional channels and adopt Rafferty’s rules on the job you are making a grave mistake. From information I have received this morning I understand you have returned to work without even informing the engineer. I have given instructions to the engineer that any recurrence of conduct of this nature is to be met by instant dismissal of those responsible.” The workers in the Puketa branch, covering tunnelling on the Goose Bay section of railway construction, were formerly members of the Oaro branch of the Workers’ Union, and formed a separate branch. The one-day strike appears to have been the culmination of trouble over the dismissal from the works of a union official. A deputation of men met Mr Semple privately during his recent visit to Kaikoura and discussed their grievances with him.