MATCH FACTORY HANDS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 42, 19 February 1913, Page 8

MATCH FACTORY HANDS

NEW AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. 1 For three years, ac from, the .' Ist , March ..noxt, 'labour conditions at the Wellihgton- Match Factory, > Newtown, will be regulated by a fresh award. The award embodies the complete agreement arrived at between the parties. During the , past three weeks inioymal confer ences .between representatives of Hie company and the union, with Mr. P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner) negotiating, have been held. The6e conferences have succeeded in settling all matters with the exception of preference. Torday, a. formal conciliation council (Mr. Hally presiding) sat to deal officially with tho dispute, and as a result a full settlement wad arrived at. In the main the differences between the parties referred to wages and preference only. Mombers reported that so, far as we vailing hours of labour, holidays, and danitaTy arrangements of tho factory were .'concerned nothing more was to be desired. For more than a year past no phosphorus, has been used at the factory, and the workers and department officials ha.Ye Commented favourably on the ' up-to-date hygienic methods obtaining at tho factory. In ' the matter" of wage's) excepting piece work, good wages have obtained for come years past. The new agreement ensures a continuation of the present piece-work rates of pay, and prevents the introduction of "time" work in any department where piece -work ;«-»y at present .is. in force. For workers on "time work"' a slight increase haa Ken obtained ,by the union. The preference clause agreed on provides for the employment of nonunionists for a period of three weeks, and allows the 'Union to thereafter request such non-unionists to become and to remain .members of the union. The clause -is conditional on the 'union keeping an "open dobr." , All the terms are agreed to conditionally on the recommendation of the assessors finally signed to-day being made^ an award of,, the Arbitration Court. At' present there are, roughly, 80 girls employed at the 'factory, but when the new condition's a*re fixed and when the factory" is fully staffed, there will be probably 100 Workers affected by the new award. Formal application to have the terms ot the recommendations of the Conciliation Council' embodied in an award will be made at the next sitting of the Cburt'in Mrfrch next.