RIVAL UNIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20271, 13 August 1937, Page 8

RIVAL UNIONS.

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTE. CONSPIRACY ALLEGED. LABOURERS' AWARD OPPOSED. (By Telegram.—Pi ess Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH. Friday. Contending that the Hawke’s Bay Builders’ and General Labourers’ Union had no authority to enter into an agreement for the settlement of a dispute, had not complied with the requirements of the Act. and had no jurisdiction, the Wellington Industrial District Labourers’ and Related Trades Union was in conflict with the former organisation In a case of an unusual nature in the Arbitration Court to-dav. Mr R. J. Reardon, who appeared fur the Hawke’s Bay Union, said it had reached a complete settlement with , the employers in Conciliation Council and applied for ratification of this by the framing ohan award on its terms Mr Justice O’Regan commented that the Arbitration Act placed a restriction on the multiplicity of unions, but U was a curious thing that both those in the case before the court were registered. The Judge was informed that the Hawke’s Bay Union was originally an offshoot of the Wellington union. Grounds of Objection. Mr P. M. Butler, for the latter, submitted four principal grounds of obI jection and alleged that if the recomj mendation were made into an award ■it would deprive the workers in the area concerned of the benefits of a more beneficial settlement. He contended the settlement in the Wellington case in many respects was better in wages and conditions than the Bay application. He alleged that the local bodies in Hawke’s Bay Joined the Bay union in an attempt to prevent a settlement being arrived at in the Wellington dispute and contended there was an indication of a conspiracy between the employers in the Bay and the Bay union to prevent the Wellington settlement being applicable In that area. Proceedings were adjourned till Monday when the books of the Bay union will be produced.