CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 140, 20 July 1914, Page 10

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

JEWELLERY TRADE DISPUTE. A sitting of the Conciliation Council was held this morning to consider'the dispute between the Christehurch Manufacturing Jewellers, Watch and Clockmakers, and Kindred Trades Industrial Union and the employers. Mr ,J. It. Triggs (Conciliation Commissioner) presided, and the assessors were:—For the employers: Messrs W. H. Seed, 13. Delahuutv, anil W. F. Bridgman. For the union: Messrs A. E. Tongue, P. Soanes, and .1. 8. Croaths.

The union asked for a week of. 44 hours, work to be between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on five (lays of the week, and between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturday. Overtime was claimed at time and a-half for the first two hours and double time thereafter. Two classes of workers are claimed for recognition—apprentices and .journeymen. The minimum wages claimed are:—Journeymen engaged in chasing, £4-per week; engraving, mounting, and setting, enamelling, die sinkers or tool makers, £4 per week; other journeymen, £.'! 10/- per week. One week's notice of the termination of an engagement is asked for. It is asked that apprentices at the commencement of their apprenticeship Shall be not more than 1(5 years of age, and the following wages arj claimed for them: — For the first year, 10/- per week; second, 1 r»/-; third, 20/-; fourth, .'>o/-; and fifth, £2 .1/ . It is asked that the proportion of apprentices shall be one to three journeymen or fraction of three.

After conferring in committee, the employers' representatives announced that they were prepared to accept the Dunediti award. The union representatives agreed to the Dunedin award, with the exception that they were prepared to forego payment for holidays, provided the employers would agree to 4(5J hours per week. They could not agree to the Dunedin overtime clause. Mr Seed said that if the employees were not prepared to accept the Dunedin award it was useless to discuss the matter further. At the suggestion of the Commissioner, the council adjourned till t! p.m. in order that the parties might have an opportunity to think the matter over. After a conference this afternoon the employees' representatives agreed to accept the Dunedin award.