CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 186, 6 August 1918, Page 7

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

AUCKLAND *6___yL.MOXGEISiS. The Council sat yesterday, before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr T. Harle Giles), dealing with the dispute tiled by the Auckland Fellmougers, Tanners, Soapworkers. and General Tannery Employees' Industrial Union of Workers and the Auckland Provincial Tanners. Vellmongers, and Soap Manufacturers' Industrial Union of Employers and others. The assessors for the union were Messrs W. McKnlght (tannery worker). N. Baker (tannery ■worker), and E. Hunter (soapworkcr). On behalf of the employers the assessors were ' 'Messrs .. E. Astley. R. Warnock, and T. Simson. The Commissioner, in opening the proI ceedings, said that this was an application 1 for an award to supersede one already in existence. It should be borne in mind that in addition to the wages agreed upon in [ the old award a war bonus of Id per hour : had been granted hy the employers on April 20. 1917. The union sought for certain alterations in hours of work, an all-round increase in wages of adult work, and an increase of 4/ per week for all youths employed on an aged scale. They also asked that wages shall be paid in the employers' time. A special supplementary demand of the union was made in respect to the Westfleld Freezing Works Company. This asked that ordinary hours be made to fall between the hours of S a.m. and 5 p.m. on Aye days of the week and S a.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturdays: that the minimum wages to general hands be 1/71 per hour and to lime (tallymen 1/8; that a 15 minutes' "smoke.o" take place every two hours, and that when any worker ls called for work and none offering two hours' payshall he paid. The employers would not accede to the demands of the union, and filed as their counter-proposals the terms aud conditions contained In the existing award and its amendment, with an alteration to clause S (general conditions), which they asked be deleted.

A lengthy discussion took place on a clause in the claims to the effect "that the award is made subject to the condition that whenever any combined award or industrial agreement Is hereafter made, embracing any industry, trade, or business, in which such workers are employed, such award or agreement may be made to supersede this award so far as regards the wageV. and conditions of such workers." The

Commissioner suggested that the time had now arrived 'to enrry this clause into I effect, and suggested that the dispute' should be adjourned sine die to a date to be fixed after the curriers and beumsmen's j disputes had'been filed, lie advised that 1 a joint conference of the three kindred trades should be held, with a view to arranging a uniform set of conditions. The Commissioner's suggestion was approved of by both sides, and it was further agreed that any settlement arrived either in conciliation or by order of the Arbitration Court, should have a retrospective effect as from September 30. 1918. The dispute, therefore, stands adjourned to a date fixed by the Commissioner.