CREW OF TUG TOIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 159, 18 April 1947, Page 6

CREW OF TUG TOIA

PAY FOR SALVAGE OF KARIPO TRIBUNAL’S DECISION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 1(5. The 15-month-old dispute over rates of pay for the crew of the tug Toia when she went to the rescue of the collier Karepo off Westport on January 22, 1946, has been settled in a decision given by Mr J. A. Gilmour, Industrial Magistrate. The decision is estimated to involve the gross payment of £6 a day to the crew for salvage work. The dispute was dealt with by a Strikes and Lock-outs Tribunal, with Mr Gilmour as chairman. The secretary of the New Zealand Harbour Board Employees’ Union (Mr R. Freeland) said last night that the members of the tribunal comprised Messrs J. Dudfield, national vice-presi-dent of the union, and himself for the workers, and Captain Congdon and Mr F. W. Reed for the Wellington Harbour Board. The tribunal sat on April 11, but the parties could not agree and The decision was left to the chairman. The union claimed that the first 72 hours should be treated as continuous time, and pay thereafter should be at award rates - for time actually worked, plus £2 a day or part of a day thereof. The counter-proposal of the board was that in addition to the award wages, workers should be paid £1 10s for each 1 24 hours or part thereof during the time the tug was at sea. The chairman’s decision was that members of the crew of the Toia wei’e to be paid as follows: First 48 hours at *sea to be regarded as continuous time and paid at award rates —eight hours at ordinary time, four hours at time and a half, and the remaining 36 hours at double time —thereafter at award rates for time actually worked and £1 10s for each period of 24 hours or part thereof'during which the tug was at sea. Mr Freeland estimated that the men would receive £6 gross for each day involved, compared with about £7 which they claimed. j