STAGE EMPLOYEES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1922, Page 9

STAGE EMPLOYEES.

■ XEW AWARD SOUGHT AT WELLINGTON. The Arbitration Court was occupied at Wellington on Thursday in the hearing of the highly technical and complicated dispute affecting the employees in the theatre and on the stage —the Wellington Stage Employees dispute. His Honor Mr. Justice Frazer presided, with Messrs. W. Scott and M. J. Reardon as assessors. Mr A. W. Croskery represented the union, and Mr. W. A. Grenfell the employers, several of whom were present during the proceedings. --commendations from the Conciliation Council were before the Court. They did not provide what the rates of wages should be, but defined certain matters. Under the heading of "general conditions" they provided that all permanent employees should hay. one half-holiday a week from 12 noon to the time of com—eneement of evening duties; that all permanent employees should be engaged by the week unless longer periods Were agreed upon, and that one week's, notice of tertnination of employment should be given by either side; that heads of departments should not be allowed to pay assistants out of their own salaries: that employees should travel to and fro first-class; that the union might keep at each theatre a list containing the names of all workers out of employment; and that managements should not require —en engaged as night hands or permanent hands to play a part in any performance. ■ Some of the minimum rates of wages asked for by the union were as follow: — Casual stage carpenters, 3/6 an hour; tasual labour in general, 3/G an hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., time and a-half between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and special "performance" rates between 7.30 and 11 P-m., first travelling mechanist, £10 a week, second £9, and all others £8; flymen, travelling, £9; resident permanent mechanist, £S 10/ a week; resident permanent first property man, £S 10/; resident permanent electricians, £S 10/; resident Permanent wardrobe master, £6.: resident permanent wardrobe mistress. £6. The highest performance rate asked for night hands was 12/6 per performance, and the lowest 10/. Reference was made by Mr. Croskery to Australian awards in the industry as a possible basis for consideration. The Wellington award, he said, would form the basis of the awards in Auckland, Christehurch, and Dunedin. Evidence was given by several witnesses as to conditions of work.