AUCKLAND STRIKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1943, Page 3

AUCKLAND STRIKE

350 MEN INVOLVED SHIPWRIGHT’S GRIEVANCE LARGE YARDS LYING IDLE (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 5. Work ceased in the Auckland boatbuilding yards this morning, when about 350 members of the Auckland Shipwrights’ Union struck. The men’s action followed a stop-work meeting at eight o’clock, when it was decided to cease work till an assurance was given by the Government that its promises regarding the payment of travelling time and fares would be implemented. *. Most of the shipwrights in Auckland were formerly carpenters who were directed from defence building to boatbuilding and repairing because there were not sufficient shipwrights available. Because of disparity in wages and travelling time between defence . carpentry rates and the shipwrights’ award the transferred men suffered a reduction in income of between 15s and 35s a week. Following representations to members of the Government and the Controller of Shipbuilding, Mr James Fletcher, the men were promised compensation at the rate of an hour’s travelling time and 6d fares daily. This would mean an extra weekly payment of about 225.

Though the agreement was gazetted as a Labour Legislation Modification Order, advice was received from the Government that the order conflicted with the stabilisation regulations and was ultra vires. The order was to have operated from June 1, but on September 29 the Under-Secretary of Labour, Mr E. B. Taylor, advised the Auckland Trades Council that the validity of the order had been questioned, and that the matter was being investigated. When representatives of the Trades Council met the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, three weeks ago, he promised to discuss the matter with the Minister’ of Finance, Mr Nash. After a week had passed without anything being done the men held a stopwork meeting at which they decided, owing to the Prime Minister’s illness, to give the Government another fortnight to settle the dispute. Though the dispute was not settled during the fortnight, the Government requested that a deputation should interview the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Nash, in Wellington next Wednesday. The deputation will consist of three shipwrights and two members of the Federation of Labour. Now that the matter'has been brought to a head by the strike, it is expected that the deputation will meet Mr Nash earlier than Wednesday. The men say that they will not resume work till an assurance is given that the Government will make a satisfactory adjustment of the trouble. In the meantime large yards are lying idle.