CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 167, 15 July 1918, Page 2

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

SCBAMWAX OFFICERS. -A. sitting of the Conciliation Council .was held .this morning, the commissioner Olr X. Harie -OUesj .presiding, to deal with a dispute hied by Uie Auckland dry Tnunways Officers- Industrial Lmon of \Vor«ers against the .Electric 'liuimvaya Company. The assessors for the union were -Messrs John liulien, John lirowder. Una William -A. Roekland, with -Mr A. Kosser as ; advocate. This was an application for an award in i an industry where there had not previously ! been one. The union's demands were as follow:' Superintendent, power station, i-ltiS; chief electrician, £370, with 3 per cent war ihonus; motor instructor, first and depot ollicers, £5 per week. A 4S-nour week j -was asked for in the traflic department, ■witj double pay for Christmas .Day and •Good Friday. Motor inspectors' wages, nrst I year £1 per week, second £4 10/; second ] officers, £4 10/ per week; ticket examiners and dispatchers, £-4 per week and £4 10/ ; after two years, uniform to be supplied every nine ■mouths, overcoat and waterproof to toe supplied every two years. Power house: Second engineer. £ti per week; senior j engineers, £5 7/B; other engineers, £} 5/; j another, i 5 per week: e<llllll time to be ! allowed for overtime worked; overhead j foremen, £3 per week; depot foremen £5 per ! week, night 'work ">/ additional per week; permanent «ay gangers, £4 10/ per week. j Workshop stores: Storekeeper, £4 10/ per 1 week; storeman, £3 13, ; clerks, £3 15/, with ; overtime at stocktaking; workshops fore--1 man engineer, electrician, blacksmith, and paint shop. £5 per week; truck overhauled £4 3/. overtime half rales or <>qual time , allowed off. It was also asked that foremen traiac, overhead, powerhouse, and depot have three weeks' holiday each year on full .pay, sick time to be paid for, war bonus ,as at present until six months after the I declaration of pea.-c. I The assessors for the company were (Messrs F. E. de «nerrier. 'It. Turner, and J. J. WiUklate. with Mr S. E. Wright as advocate. The counter-proposals of the employers -were that the wages and conditions now Prevailing he maintained, with the followI ing amendments:— depot officers: ' That the depot officer, Ponsniiliy, be relieved !of extra -work at the Queen Street ter- : minus. Mutor inspectors to receive £3 in/ •per •week for first year, £4 afterwards; dispatcher*, first year £.'! ?'<"> per week, afterwards £3 12/6. lVwer station: Shift engineer, second £3 per week, senior £4 7/«, junior £4 ">/; overhead foreman, £4 .">/. Depots: Day foreman. li per week; night. £3 17/0. Permanent -way: Three first-class gangers, £T, 10/: three second-class {rangers. £3 5/. Workshops: Storekeepers, £3 10/; two storexnen, £H per week. "Mr Wright askeii if the salaried officers were to be include*!, or "was the union, prepared to delete the salaried staff. •Mr Ttosser said this was the first time the tramway officers hart come before the Council, though some years -,i;io an agreement was arrived at with the company and had been fairly well kept, 'He had a personal regard for Mr Walklate. and any remarks he might make referred to the company and not the general manager. There was 110 threat of a strike: all that the officers asked for was a living -wage. There were only fifty members in the union. 'Mr Walklate said the company objected to officials being in the same union as men 'Whom they had to -control. Mr Rosser said the men did not wish to have the officers in their union, die applied to amend the union claims by deleting the superintendent £4<iS per annum and substituting £30 per mouth: also chief electrician, £375 per annum, and substituting £31 5/ ■ per month. I Mr Wright said there was no possibility ]of the company agreeing to the two salaried I officers being brought under the award I The Commissioner granted the right to amend, and all names specially stated were , struck out of the claim of t-ae union, I lilr Walklate said- the company had no ■counter-proposals to make re increase of wages of first depot officers Mr Giles: Then it is n, use discussing the qnestion of wages. Mr Walklate: I don't think so. We have ■made a fair offer. The men's agreement was in our minds -when this offer was made. If the Court orders the company to pay..higher ■wages, then, ,of course it must do so. - ; \; , ,'-..■ Mr Giles said he nad nothing: him to show what the company 'was prepared to pay. Where an application was made for an arvard in an industry where there was not an existing one it -was the duty of the respondent to submit the wages he •was prepared to pay. lie was quite satisfied proper counter-proposals had not been submitted according to the Act I Mr Wright eaid Mr Walklate was prepared to take an adjournment in' order to I submit amended counter-proposals This was granted. After considerable discussion, it was unanimously agreed to adjourn until Friday August 22. at 2 p.m.. in order to enable the company to file detailed counter proposals