EXECUTIVE MEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 157, 5 July 1937, Page 8

EXECUTIVE MEN.

EXCLUSION ASKED.

LOCAL BODY WORKERS.

APFLIOATIOir FOR AWARD.

Application was made to the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. R. E. Price, today for the establishment of an award for the Local Authorities Officers' Union to cover the whole of the Auckland province. A 40-hour week is

sought, with wages ranging from £52 in the first year at the commencing age of under 10, rising in half-yearly increments to £193 in the fifth'year and by annual increases thereafter' to £330 in the twelfth year. » The scale provides for proportionately higher commencing salaries according to age, the maximum being £254 for workers over 23. The commencing salaries for women are the same as for men in the first two years, but are considerably lower higher up the scale and the maximum salarv provided for is £225. In each cas'e the employee on reaching the age of 21 must receive the basic wage of £3 10/ in the case *f men and £1 16/ for women.

The union was represented by Mr. K. Simpson ns advocate, with Messrs. W. Murray, X. M. Norman, J. 11. Carss and A. T. Reaman as assessors. The employers were represented bv Mr. H. J. Bishop, with Mesrs. A. A. "Coates, J. Dean, W. Marshall and the Rev. \Y. c! Wood as assessors.

On the ground that the proposal was unworkable, the employers applied for executive officers to be excluded from the terms of the award, Mr. Bishop explaining that he had received about 50 applications from town clerks, county clerks and engineers asking for exemption. A 40-hour week was agreed to.

Counter-Proposals. In counter-proposals presented by the employers, it was urged that the award should not apply to executive officers, officers in charge of separate departments and officers in receipt of more than £250 a year. "If we agreed to that suggestion about 75 per cent of the people in the union would be cut out of the award/' protested Mr. Simpson. Mr. Bishop: It is not practicable for executive heads to be members of the same union as the staffs they control. They are actually employers under certain circumstances. The alternative is special legislation so that executive officers can have a union of their own. After further argument the Conciliation Commissioner said there appeared to be a genuine doubt among the employers that an award which included executive officers was workable. On the other hand, the employees appeared to be convinced that the award would not take away the rights of executive officers to carry out their duties. "The president of the union is the Auckland City Treasurer on a salary of £1000 a year," said Mr. Murray. "'Apparently he does not think the ' award would interfere with his duties as treasurer.*' It was claimed by the employees that the figure of £250 was too low for the exemption of officers as requested by the employers. It is only a tradesman's wage," remarked Mr. Price. '"If the figure was raised considerably classification of who should be excluded would be simplified."' Both parties then adjourned to consider the exemption of executive officers who were directly responsible to their boards and to consider a higher figure than £250 for exemption. When the council resumed later in the day it was agreed that two executive officers nominated by the authority concerned be exempt from the terms of the ' award. ' (Proceeding.)