HIGHER WAGE SOUGHT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 9, 22 October 1941, Page 8

HIGHER WAGE SOUGHT

CARPENTERS AND GENERAL LABOURERS. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 21. The Dominion builders, contractors, and general labourers’ industrial dispute came before the Court of Arbitration in Wellington to-day. The hearing is expected to continue tomorrow and Thursday. The Court consists of Mr Justice Tyndall, with Mr W T . C. Prime, employers’ representative, and Mr A. L. Monteith, workers’ representative. Mr P. Butler is appearing for the workers, and Mr W. J. Mountjoy for the employers. The principal matter in dispute is wages. It was agreed in Conciliation Council that, except where otherwise specified, a week’s work should not exceed 40 hours. To-day Mr Butler began the reading of a typewritten statement of 117 foolscap pages. The union claims the following minimum rates of wages: —Workers employed in building and allied undertakings, or in civil engineering operations, 21s 4d a day; general labourers otherwise employed, 20s Sd a day. The present minimum rates range from 2s 4d to 2s 7d an hour, according to the class of work done. “We do not desire the Court to set down a base wage, equally applicable to the pick and shovel man on site clearing, and to the average building trades woi’ker or civil engineering worker,” said Mr Butler. He thought the Court would probably agree that the former worker would fall into the category commonly described as “un- j skilled,” and the latter into the cate- j gory commonly described as “semi-1 skilled.” It was suggested, therefore, that proper acknowledgment should be given to building trades and civil engineering workers, and that minimum rates be applied to other general labourers.

ENGINE-DRIVERS AND FIREMEN.

(P.A.) CFTIUSTCTTUKCII., Oct. 21. An application for im increase in the rates of pay to cover the increased cost of living which, if granted, will affect all awards, industrial agreements and apprenticeship orders lias been made by the New Zealand Engine Drivers’ and Firemen’s Industrial Union ot Workers. November IS has been fixed for the hearing of the application by the Court of Abritration at Wellington.

The application is similar to that made in lIMO when, on iVluy 20, the New Zealand Federated Painters’ and Decorators’ Industrial Association ol Workt ■rs applied to the Clerk oi Awards. Wellington, under the Hates of Wages Emergency .Regulations, for a general order increasing the rates on the ground of the increased cost of living. The previous application was heard on August 0 last year, the Court making nn order increasing the rates of remuneration by 5 per cent, as from August 12. !i