TANNERS' DISPUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 238, 8 October 1936, Page 3

TANNERS' DISPUTE.

NO AGREEMENT REACHED. WAGES REFERRED TO COURT. No agreement had been reached when the luncheon adjournment was taken to-day on the two main issues, wages and hours, in the dispute heard before the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. R. E. Price, between the employers and employees in the industry covering tanneries, fellmuiigeries, boiling down, manure and tallow works. The dispute was filed by the union, represented by Messrs. W. E. Sill and N. G. Harlick. The employers were represented by Mr. W. E. Anderson. The union asked on behalf of all the employees a 40-liour week and the following rates of pay in the fellmongery and tannery departments:—Wool sorters, pullers, pel t classers and curers, shaving machine hands and machine fleshers and scudders on hides, 2/8 per hour; rollermen, machine and hand scudders on pelts, 2/7 per hour; machine felt fleshers, 2/t> per hour; all others, 2/5' per hour. For workers in the manure, tallow, soap, oil and starch departments the union asked 2/5 an hour for all adult workers and £5 10/ a week for nightwatchmen. The pay asked for overtime was time and a half for the first three hours., with double time thereafter; also 14 clays' annual holiday on full pay after one year's service. The employers' counter-proposals were for a 44-hour week, with rates of pay ranging from 2/3 to 1/10 per hour for the various workers. It was agreed that Mr. Sill and Mr. Anderson should confer and if possible draw up a proposal covering hours, which would bo suitable to both parties. The question of wages is to be referred to the Arbitration Court.