THE SEAMEN'S AWARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 79, 1 April 1908, Page 9

THE SEAMEN'S AWARD.

HOURS AND CONDITIONS. THE AGREEMENT FILED. The agreement come to between the shipowners of New Zealand and the Seamen's Union was to-day filed in the Supreme Court in order that it might be given the effect of an award throughout the northern district at the sitting of the Arbitration Court at the end of the month. The main provisions of the agreement were published at the time of the conference in Wellington a month ago. The rates of wages show an allround advancement of 10/ a month, and are as follows: Boatswains £S, lamptrimmers and A-B.'s £S, lamptrimmers £7, A.B.s £7, first-class O.S. £5, sec-ond-class O.S. £-1, first-cless boys £2, second-class boys £1 10/, donkeymen four-hour watches £ 10, six-hour watches £11, firemen fcir-hour watches £9, sishour watches £ 10, greasers four-hour watches £9, six-hour watches £10, trimmers four-hours watches £7, six-hour watches £8, storekeepers £9, greasers and storekeepers £ 10. All wages to be paid on the first day of each month or within seven days, or as soon after as the vessel arrives in port. Overtime rates are fixed at 1/3 per hour when employed at working cargo or trimming coal in ports, and of any other class of.work 1/ per hour, special rates of 1/6 per hour in summer and 1/9 per hour in winter being fixed for boating cargo. Boys are not to be worked overtime. The hours of labour for deck hands at sea are watch and watch "of four hours or by day work, as circumstances require. In the stokehold the hours are watches of four hours on and eight off, but on sma.l steamers running short trips, where two firemen only are carried, they are watch and watch of six Hours. Work performed between 5 p_n. and 5 a.m. on intercolonial vessel, and 5 p.m. and 6 a.m. on coastal vessels, shall be paid as overtime, with the exception of work necessary for the navigation or safety of the ships, clearing decks, etc, for half an hour after leaving port, or work necessary for the convenience of passengers. Whenever overtime has been paid by reason of the necessity for replacing any member of the crew who has lost time at sea through illness or inability to work, caused by his own default, the owners shall, subject to certain conditions, be entitled to deduct the sum so incurred from his wages. The hours of labour in port are fixed at from 7 a__. to 5 p_n., with two hours off for meals. Firemen, greasers, and trimmers are to receive overtime for all hours worked in excess of eight hours out of every 24. Night watch in port is to be from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and nightwatchmen are to receive 8/ overtime, or allowed eight hours off, which shall not be given at sea. It shall be optional for married men to work overtime in their home port. Special overtime rates are fixed for Sunday and holiday work, the holidays fixed being New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, King's Birthday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. At sea, New Year's Day, Good Friday, and Christmas Day shall be observed as Sundays. Twenty-four hours' notice on either side is to be the law of discharge art the ship's final port of discharge in the Dominion."" There is to be no-compulsion in joining any benefit society. No discrimination is to be made against unionists, and no distinction is to be made between unionists and nonunionists. Regarding the extended river trade, it is provided that no overtime shall be payable in respect of work done by men or steamers trading within these limits except for excursions run on Sundays and holidays. A new rating is provided for firemen and trimmers in steamers under 200 iJi.p. running within extended river limits, these being classified as second-class firemen and trimmers at a rate of wage of £5 per month. The award does not bind the tugs Akaroa or Stella, so long as the present rates of wages are paid.