WORK RESUMED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1938, Page 6

WORK RESUMED

UNDERSTANDING REACHED AT CONFERENCE ATTENDED BY MINISTER OF MINES. ARBITRATION COURT TO DEAL WITH DETAILS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. Work was resumed at the Westfield Freezing Company's works today. The decision was made following on a conference between the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) representing the Hon. H. T. Armstrong (Minister of Labour) and representatives of the company and union this morning. Mr Webb made a proposition that the men should resume work straight away and that the matters in .’dispute; should be referred immediately, to the ’Arbitration Court for its decision. This; proposition, placed before. the;)nfli); toy the secretary of the union, .Mr ,W.; E. Sill, and other officials was agreed to. unanimously. “I was very pleased with the decis-, ion of the men,” said Mr Webb afterwards. “If the spirit that was demonstrated at the conference this morning was applied to all dealings between men and companies I am sure that a much more harmonious state would exist in the industry. I have since communicated the decision to Mr Armstrong and he has expressed his great pleasure.” Asked whether he had made an address to the men, Mr Webb said he had a few comments to make after the decision to resume work had been, made. He emphasised that there was need for co-operation between the workers and companies, as without harmony there could not be economic efficiency and any stoppage of work had a detrimental effect on the whole Dominion. Not all the employees resumed"this morning. Some departments are to resume at midnight. A conference is to be held this afternoon between representatives of the company and also of the. Freezing Works Asspciation and the union. The whole of the matters in dispute will be discussed and if any remain in dispute then, they will be referred to the Arbitration Court.

COURT CRITICISED. ■ STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF LABOUR. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An outline of the circumstances that k-d to the development of the dispute nt the Westfielct Freezing Works in Auckland was given by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) in an interview today. He said he had been in constant communication with Auckland ever since the start of the trouble and had taken the opportunity of the visit to Auckland of the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) to ask him to investigate the situation. The result was that a meeting of the men had been held this morning at which they agreed to resume work, some starting this morning and the remainder tomorrow, when further supplies of stock would arrive. “The Arbitration Court, in its award,” said Mr Armstrong, “stipulated that adequate accommodation in regard to dining rooms and changing rooms should be provided and a locker installed for each worker. This particular company, and possibly others, are putting in lockers 3 feet 6 inches high by 15 inches wide. The men protested against that, because it seemed to be totally inadequate. The Labour Department was brought in and drew up plans for a 1 locker which it was thought would be suitable for the requirements of the men. The companies did not agree to this, but went on building small lockers. The Court was asked for a date on which it would give an interpretation and set it down for October 6. Why the Court did not give an early date to settle a point which would not have occupied its ♦ime for more than half an hour, I cannot for the life of me understand. However, the Court has now agreed to take the case on Wednesday and the men are to go back in the meantime. Mr Webb is .getting the parties together this afternoon to discuss the question of accommodation generally.”