ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 73, 27 March 1920, Page 13

ARBITRATION COURT.

m BOATBUILDER'S CLAIMS. On behalf of the Auckland Ship, Yacht and Boat Builders' Vnion, Mr. T. Cain stated a case before the Arbitration Court yesterday afternoon. The demands claimed a 44-hour week, except for seagoing workers, wages of 2/6 per hour on land and £18 a month at tea, double rates for overtime, the usual holidays, no piecework and apprentice pay from 15/ a week in the first year, advancing increments of 10/ to £2 "15/ in the fifth year. Also 1/ extra an hour for dirty work. -Mr. S. E. Wright appeared for tho employers, and objected to seagoing workers being included in the award. Mr. Cain said a shipwright (ships carpenter) was the only man on a boat not covered by an award. Wages, overtime, and term of award were not agreed upon in Conciliation. The union arguments were cost of living, uniform wage for all skilled workers and the claims of shipwrights Jo be placed on a footing with boat builders. Evidence was called by the union to show that the tool lull was very heavy, prices bad advanced 300 per cent., and tools lasted only a short time. Men were sometimes called upon to travel to a new job after doing a full day's work, and were paid no travelling time. Much repair work was filthy, especially with coal and sugar carriers. Advocate for the employers submitted that no alterations should bern dae to the existing award, save on the matter of wages, as conditions had not been shown to have altered lately. The Court intimated that its decision would be given in concert with the carpenters and other timber workers' awards.