BRICKLAYERS' WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 153, 29 June 1914, Page 6

BRICKLAYERS' WAGES.

11ISE OF 3D PEIt HOCK ASKED. CONCILIATION BEING TRIED. A Council of Conciliation sat this mornii '• under the presidency of the Conciliation Commission ,Mr T. Harlc (liles, to consider the terms of a proposed new award for the Pre-Mayors. Messrs W. E. Gibson laud T. D- Bell lAucklanil. and A. MoMahon I iiWclllnstnni represented the union, and j Messrs »'»■ Sands and tVin. Ball lAuck- ' la ml i. and \V. 11. Bennett (Wellington.! represented the employers, as assessors. Mr c. 11. Parker appeared as agent for theh union, ami Mr Hon. Baildon conducted the caste for the employer?. The proposals „f the union for a new award asked for a uiinimnm wage of 1 '.) p.r hour i the ruling rate being 1 Hi. for ,better terms In regard io overtime rates, ami for more comprehensive terms of preference p, unionists. The counter proposals were to some extent on the linos of the old award, except that Ihe -H-hour week w-as conceded, bavin:.-, indeed, been the practice for some n n,s past. The rate or wages offered was 1 <i per hour as „ minimum. The employers also suggested that where a worker was substantially employed as a foreman it I should not l.c obligatory upon bin, to lie a ' member "f the union. Exemption was applied for by Mr <;ro«----venor. and was granted is© far as this may he done in Conciliation Council, in respect ..f the City Council, Harbour Board, and Sugar Con],any 'partial,. Gas Company, Tram Company. ('. Bailey, .inn.. Campbell an.l Khreiifried, Great Northern Brewery, il. XL-el. Northern Steamship Company. i Soager Bros, and Waltemata Sawmills. So far as the Gas Company was concerned, certain counter proposals were submitted with regard to work which concern,-! their industry especially, ami tin, Comnii-siincr undertook to communicate win, M, Low. tho company's engineer, beI f,,re the Council arrived at any agreement as t,, the special class of work defined. Mr Low. who was present while the assessors sat in open council, said that he wished to protest ,„„st strongly against the inability of his company to secure proper representation on tho Council, although hisown nomination a s assessor had been signal hy twelve parties to the award. His company had paid upwards of fij.sHo in bricklayers' wages during the last live years. and th eunlon now asked not only an Increased rate of pay of 3d r ,. r hour, hat time nnd a quarter rates for such work as the company had to do. The Builders* Association did not do work of the same nature, and consequently their assessors could not represent the Gas Company. The Commissioner explained that'wnere a strong body snob as the Builders" Assoelation was already In existence be could not do otherwise than accept the assessors from that body, much as he wou|( , „„,, I ke,l to have Mr Low's asssitance In specla' departments of tho dispute.