WESTFIELD DISPUTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1938, Page 3

WESTFIELD DISPUTE

PARTIAL SETTLEMENT. (By Telegraph—-Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 6. A partial settlement was reached this morning in the dispute involving more than 100 men of the dispatch staff of Kempthorne, Prosser and Company’s fertiliser works at Westfield. The dispute arose over the payment of men on night shift. Distribution has been at a standstill for two days, but will be resumed on Monday morning. On Wednesday evening some 25 men on the night shift began work but were stopped after three-quarters of an hour because of shortage of trucks and lack of stacking space for manure. Most of the men were sent to their homes, but three or four living in outlying districts were found work until they could obtain transport to | their homes. The men were paid for | two hours’ work. Thej' demanded

eight hours’ pay as for a full shift. This morning the union delegates returned from the south and the executive conferred with the men. As a result the men asked for a guarantee that the night staff would be given a full eight hours’ work every shift. While willing to make every endeavour to provide full shifts, the company’s representatives expressed inability to give a guarantee as lack of trucks might prevent a full shift being worked. The employers conceded a request to provide conveyances for men on night shift when stopped early. As the outcome of the negotiations, the men agreed to return to work on Monday morning and to discuss the dispute at the next general meeting of the union. If no agreement is reached it will be referred to the committee of the Fedeation of Labour.