N.Z. AWARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 8

N.Z. AWARD.

MOTOR DRIVERS.

WAGES AND HOURS.

TWO SECTIONS PROVIDED.

BUSES AND SERVICE CARS.

Wages, hours and working conditions for passenger transport drivers throughout tho Dominion fixed in an award issued yesterday by the Second Arbitration Court, now sitting in Wellington. In a memorandum, the Court states that the award embodies many of the recommendations reached in Conciliation Council.

The application of the first section of the award is confined to drivers of motor omnibuses substantially engaged in town and suburban passenger transport. Hours are fixed at 80 a fortnight, with a maximum of 44 a week. The daily hours must not exceed 9, to be worked within a span of 12 consecutive hours.

Where the exigencies of a. business require special provisions the matter may be dealt with by a disputes committee, and. failing agreement, application may be made to the Court for sperLil provision

In each fortnight three periods of 24 consecutive hours off duty must be allowed each driver (two periods in one week and wnc in the other). Broken shifts must not exceed three in twelve. Having completed hiis shift, a driver must not be called on duty again for ten hours.

The wages ctanse is simple. "Except where otherwise provided," it states, "the minimum wage payable to omnibus drivers covered in this part of the award shall be £") 10/ a week."

Overtime is fixed at time and a half for the first four hours and double time thereafter. Except in the case of contract vehicles, all time worked between 2 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. must be paid at double rates. This does not apply to cleaning and preparing work on buses done by night shift workers.

Service Car Drivers. The second section of the award deals with service • car drivers, for whom, a minimum wage of £5 10/ a week is fixed. *

Ordinary hours of work are fixed at 88 a fortnight, with a maximum of 48 a week. Daily hours must not exceed 10, to be worked within a span of 13 consecutive hours. Where transport licensing authorities' time-tables necessitate the working of 11 hours in any day, overtime shall not be payable except in excess of 11 hours.

One period of 24 consecutive hours off duty must be allowed in each week.

Overtime rates fixed are time arid a half for the first six hours and double time thereafter. Between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. work must be paid for at double rates.

Annual Holiday. Three consecutive weeks' holiday on full pay must be given all workers •overed by the award.

Drivers working lees than one week are termed casuals, and muet be paid at the rate of 3/1 an hour ordinary time and 3/7 an hour for time worked in excess of 10 hours a day. This applies to both sections of the award, but not to employees not substantially engaged as drivers but employed occasionally, or in emergency, as driven*.

An employer may at any time demand medical examination of a driver at the employer's expense. For the purpose of filling in time it shall be part of the ordinary duty of the driver to assist at any work other than driving whieh may be required of him.

deductions from wages may be made by the employer for time lost through -eieknme or default of the worker. *'

" As If Mβ Dispute Had Arisen." "The essence of the award being that the work of the employer** shall not be impeded, but.shall always proceed as if no dispute had arken," states the disputes clause, "disputes shall be referred to a committee composed of two representatives of each side, together with an independent chairman to be mutually agreed upon, or, in event of disagreement, by the conciliation commissioner for the district. Either eide will have the right to appeal to the Court against a decieion by any such committee."

Certain exemptions are allowed the North Shore Transport Company, Auckland.

The award will operate throughout the Northern, Taranaki, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Weetland, Canterbury and Otago and Southland industrial district*. With regard to wages, it operated from May 30; with regard to other conditions it came into force yesterday. It will expire on December 31, 1930.