GAS WORKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 142, 18 June 1938, Page 7

GAS WORKERS.

DOMINION AWARD. OPERATION FOR YEAR. COURT OPINION DIVIDED. All the large gas works in New /calami are covered in the first Dominion award which has just been issued by the Arbitration Court. It comes into force oil Monday next, and remains in operation for a year. Though the matters finally referred to the Court were relatively few. said a memorandum by the president «»f tinCourt. Mr. Justice O'Kegan. consisting of hours of work, wages ami hot places, the nature of the claims was such that, the dispute was mole than usually ditli cult to ileal with. Theie were so many classes of workers involved, many if whom wiiii' covered by i>t tier awards. The Court would not bring under this award workers who were already covered. and had, therefore, framed the clauses relating to the workers concerned so as to preserve the rights of other unions. With regard to wages, the meiiioi.in duin additl, the opinion of the Court was divided. Mr. W. Cecil I'rime, employers* member, thought that the alternative weekly rate asked for by soiue employers should have been granted, and that the rates otherwise decided were somewhat higher than was warranted. In view of the lates now paid ill many cases, however, a niajoritv of the Court was satisfied that the rates as fixed were reasonable. Comprehensive clauses in the award fixed the hour* of work. For yardmen and drivers they were 41 a week. For theme in the complaint- department and for gate-keepers ami watchmen, t hey were also 44 a week, while not more than 84 hours should l>c worked in a fortnight. For other workers, not speeilieally mentioned, a 40 hour week «a« lixed. Eight clauses, with many i-iili-division*. were required to ti\ \ age raten. For *luft workers engaged in t lie manufacture of gas. the rates per *-11ift. ranged from ."CI 0/« i for ammonia plant and tar plant operators to CI 4/ for the leading operator of continuous \er tical retort*. Some day workers' wages were fixed on a weekly b.ii-is. ami others oil an hourly basi*. In all. 2n clauses and Biib-elau»-es dealt with the wage- of day worker*. The rater, ranged from 2/i) per hour for tinsmith-, r-hccl metal workers, dry meter repairers, ictort setters and pafcher*. motor mechanics, electricians and black -m it It.-. to 2 1 to "other" coal worker-. Watchmen and gatemen at Auckland were to be pa :d JC4 4/ a week. Three further section* dealt with extra remuneration to be paid for diily work, wet and hot phecs ;l n<l "height money." A further II claii-c* dealt with general condit ion j . Subject to the provi-ion* of the Factories Act, 1021-22. and it- amendments, the following range of minimum rate* were fixed for youths: .U1 '>/ for t lie first (1 months from I's to 17 years. t > £4 for the second li mouth* from 20 to 21 years. Thereafter adult wage- were to be paid. Four businesses were exempted from the provi ions of the award, of which one was an Auckland firm.