STRIKE DECLARED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1939, Page 6

STRIKE DECLARED

AUCKLAND FERTILISER WORKS REFUSAL TO ACCEPT AWARD OR TO SEEK REVISION BY COURT. ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED MEN INVOLVED. (Rv Telegranfc—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. June 26. A strike involving about 400 men employed at the chemical and manure works in Otahuhu, Westfield and Te Papapa was declared this afternoon following upon stop-work meetings held by the employees at the three different works. The action was initiated at the Otahuhu works of the Challenge Phosphate company, Limited, where the 220 men employed held a meeting at 12.20 p.m. Delegates proceeded later to the Westfield works of Kempthorne Prosser and Company (N.Z.) Drug Company, and the Te Papapa works of the New Zealand Farmers' Fertiliser Company, Limited, and persuaded the men there to cease work. Though no official statement was issued by the representatives of the Otahuhu Chemical Manure Workers’ Union of which the, workers are members, it was confirmed that the strike is the culmination of dissatisfaction with the Arbitration Court award made in October of last year. Since then successive conferences between the employees and employers have been held and as a result of those the parties both agreed to the abrogation of the award. The men's decision to adopt direct action and declare a strike is the result of the employers declining to consider demands for substantial increases in wages. STATEMENT BY EMPLOYERS. In the course of a lehgthy statement reviewing the position in detail, the employers say, inter alia: — “The award for a new scale of wages which was to have effect for two years was made by ‘the Arbitration Court, and came into force on October 24, 1938,’’ it stated. The men were dissatisfied with it, and at their request a conference was held on May 17 last . . At that conference 1 , the employers were given to understand that the chief grievance of the men was that the award had not been retrospective and was for a z periodof two years. They also claimed that it was not in accordance with the evidence put before the Arbitration Court. It was also contended that the term was too long, as it would mean that the men’s case could not be submitted again for- two years. • “The employers’ representatives suggested that it might meet the position if a joint application was made to the Arbitration Court for consent to reduce the term to one year,” continued the statement. “The men submitted counter-proposals to the effect that the employers agree to having the award terminated at the earliest possible date. To this the employers agreed, having in view the desirability of enabling the men to restate their case before the Arbitration Court at the earliest possible moment. The award was therefore cancelled under the consent of both sides and terminated on June 14 last.” AN OFFER REJECTED. It was anticipated, the statement proceeds, that the men would file a fresh application with the Arbitration Court, but instead they requested a further conference, and this was held in Auckland on June 16. The employers offered to facilitate steps that would bring the case before the Court at the earliest possible date. The men, however, pressed for the immediate revision of wages and no agreement was reached.

“The union had demanded a minimum wage of 2s lid and a maximum of 3s Bd, which were considered by the employers to be impossible of achievement within the industry. The award rates which were still in force pending the new award being issued provided for payment at the rate of 2s 41d and 2s 74d an hour. “In advising the management of the Otahuhu works of the Challenge Phosphate Co., Ltd., of the men’s intention to declare a strike, the union delegates stated that the acid plant would have to be slowed down and manufacturing stopped by 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. The management replied that the slowing down of the plant would be inevitable, but it would be disastrous to the industry and the farmers if the acid plant was allowed to burn out. It was pointed out that the fires in the plant operated ceaselessly year in and year out and considerable havoc and expense would be incurred should the men’s demands be conceded.

“The management at the three works are reducing the operation of the plant to a minimum and an effort will be made to maintain the works at a pitch that will ensure the complete resumption of production on a settlement of the differences.

“The works have been operating at full pressure recently in producing supplies for topdressing, and the shortage of trucks for the carriage of fertilisers has just been overcome,” stated an official. "It is unfortunate that the farmers are denied supplies of manures at a time when the Railways Department is in a position to meet all transport requirements.”