CONCILIATION BOARDS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9873, 2 November 1897, Page 2

CONCILIATION BOARDS.

THE ENGINEERING TRADE.

A meeting of the Conciliation Board in the matter of the industrial dispute between the Christchurch Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and a number of employers of labour was opened yesterday at the Provincial Council Chambers. Present—Messrs H. J. Beswick (Chairman), J. Chalmers, W. Williams, J. A. Frostick and T. Gapes. The following firms had been served with notices to appear —Allison and Smail, J. Anderson and Son, Andrews and Beaven, Bootli and Macdonald : D. H. Brown and Sons, Canterbury Frozen Meat Co., J. Childs, Ghristchureh Drainage Board, Christchurch Meat Company, Christchurch Tramway Co., City and Suburban Tramway Co., W." Dally, J. and T. Danks, P. and D. Duncanj 11. Hepburn and Son; Johnston and Son, M. Jowett, Kaiapoi Woollen Company, Lucas Bros., Mason, Struthers and Co., \V. McLaren, Morrow, Baseett and Co., Morten and Asehmann, Nelson Bros., New Brighton Tramway Company, J. McQueen, Reid and Gray, Scott Bros., Taylor and Oakley, Tomline and Co., Topliss Bros., Troupahd Co., Walter A. Wood and Co., \Vood Bro3. t and Hon. A. J. Cadman, Minister New Zealand Railways.

Messrs W, C. Fraser and J. Faweus appeared for the Engineers' Society. Mr C. J. Marshall, Secretary for the New Brighton Tramway Company, took exception to the service of the dispute on his Company, as the Company employed no labour of the kind named in the dispute.

Mr Fraser asked how the Company repaired or made bushes, or axles, and wheels.

Mr Marshall answered that local firms were employed. Mr Fraser said he believed such was the case now. Hβ had been informed that meu of the trade had previously been engaged at this work, and it might occur in the future.

Mr Marshall held that that did not bring them under the- dispute. After consulting the manager he stated he was informed that the Company Jiad never employed an engineer. The Board decided that the objection Was fatal and struck out the Company. Mr Marshall asked if expenses would be allowed and the Chairman answered that the Board had no power to grant them. Messrs F. VVaymouth, Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, Gilbert Anderson, Chrietchurch Meat Company, and G. J. Parker, Nelson Bros., placed their position before the Board.

Mr Waymouth said that thsre was no dispute with their men and they did not employ engineers. The Chairman answered that that had nothing to do with the question. Judge Williams had laid ifc flown that it did not necessarily follow to bring the matter before the Board that a disagreement muat have arisen.

Mr Anderson said that his company had nothing to do with engineers as engineers. Their men were refrigerating engineers, who were different from mechanical. When repairs were needed men were called in. Mr Parker said his firm was in a similar position. The Chairman asked if the filters and repairers were cent from local firms. The representatives answered that they were.

Mr Fawcus said if it was the practice here not to employ practical mechanical engineers on the premises, it was not so in other parts of New Zealand. There were some members of the Society who were driviug for some of these firms* and desired to be brought under the Act. Under the circumstances he claimed the Union had a right to snmiaoii employers. Mr Fraser. said that both Belfast and Islington employed members of the Union. He Would say that no man could be a good refrigerating engineer unless he had served his time as a mechanical engineer.

The Board, in view of the impovltinza of the question, decided to postpone ifc uutil the other ccvse3 had been disposed of. Mr Richardson (Walter A. Wood Company) and Mr Strathers (Mason, Struther3 and Co.) appeared before the Board.

Mr Richardson agked if ho could bo told what kind, of .engineer was termed a fitter. Mr Eraser ''answered tbafc he was a man who had been brought up to bench work.

Mr Richardson said the men he employed were not such. None of them were engineers, or possessed articles of indenture. He had one man who was an engineer, but he was employed as a traveller, and was paid more than the Society's statement asked.

Mr Fraser said the firm was a manufacturing finn, whose goods were imported into this colony and put together by fitters or erectera.

Mr Richardson answered that they used any man; not necessarily skilled labour. He found that the average fanner's son was about the best man for the work.

Mr Fraaer, in answer to a question, said that at present there were no members of the Union employed by the firm.

Mr Richardson, in anewer to questions, said the firni'did no repairing. Broken or worn parts wore replaced by new ones. Mr Struthers said he employed no engineer. He had a man who was employed as a sa'esrnan who, when necessary, replaced the broken parts of the machines the firm imported. Mr Fraser asked if the firm had ever employed fitters to erect machinery.

Mr Struthers eaid he had some years ago given ud the business of importing reapers and binders.

•Mr Fraser, in answer to the Chairman, said he was instructed that the firm had employed engineers.

The Chairman said he should be prepared to suppoit the statement.

Mr Fraser said he held that machinery could not be put together satisfactorily unless by experts.

The Chairman—ls it alleged that the firm have any engineers in their employ at present ? 'Mr Fraser—No. But it is represented that they have had them, and might do bo again.

The Chairman asked if it conlcl be shown that the firm had employed engineers within the last six months. Mr Fraser called W. Wickam, who said that some years ago he was employed during the time they imported reapers and binders. Mr Fawcue suggested that some manufacturer in the line" should be asked to state if it wei*e necessary or not for skilled men to fit and repair machinery. After consultation the Board decided that Mason, Struthers and Company's case should be struck out. .

In connection with the Walter A. Wood Company, Mr Booth was called. He said he offered no objection to giving evidence so long as it did not affect hie own position as a defendant in the dispute. Mr Fraser—Do you think the class of work brought into the country by importers, as reapers and binders, &c, can be properly put together in a proper manner by unqualified men ?

Mr Booth—Not by unqualified men. You must have a qualified man, but not necessarily an engineer. Before I took up manufacturing I imported, and my firm never employed engineers to fit the machinery. Reapers and binders are not repaired ; the parts are replaced. The Chairman—You would not class them as engineers ? Mr Booth—Not at all. They were not necessarily tradesmen though they might be.

Mr Fawcus—lt has been admitted by Mr Richardson that he employs an engineer to supervise and act as salesman.

The Chairman—You contend that because his salesman is an engineer, the firm comes within the scope of the dispute ? Mr Fawcus—We do.

The Board consulted and then decided to strike out the case of the Walter A. Wood Company. The cases of Messrs D. H. Brown and Co., who did not employ engineers except through firms of employers, and Messrs Wood Bros., who had an employee a member of the Union, who was temporarily employed as a millwright, wore after some discussion struck out.

The case of J. Anderson and Son was then called, and tho Chairman asked if any single case could be taken as a test for the others.

It was pointed out that all the cases were not op the same footing, different circumstances applying to different sections. » Mr J. Anderson eaid he wished to know their position in the matter. His firm protested against being brought before tho Board, and nothing he did did ho vrish to

prejudice his case before the Board or the Court. There was no dispute between the firm and their employees, and the firm employed Unionists aim nort-Unionists without question. Under such condition as enumerated, he held the firm should not have been summoned.

The Chairman repeated Mr Justice WilliamVs ruling, and, in answer to a remark by Mr Anderson, pointed out that itbrought his case within the jurisdiction of the Board.

It was decided to take Messrs Anderson and Sous and Messrs Scott Broe. cases together.

Mr J. L. Scott raised the same point as Mr Anderson, and farther, drew attention to the fact that the dispute oa which Mr Justice Williams gave his ruling was between two Unions—one employees, the other employers. Ho objected to the summons, and asked his objection to be noted. The Chairman said he would take a note of the objection, and the case proceeded. The dispute, as filed by the Society, set out as under :—

Hours of labour—Forty -eight hours shall constitute a week's work, divided as follows:—August to April (inclusive) work shall not commence (except a3 overtime) before 0 a.m. or coutiuue after 5 p.m., with one hour for dinner. From May to July (inclusive), 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., with half an hour for dinner, except on Saturdays, when the time worked shall be from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Each daj r to stand by itself.

Rate of Wages in the Different Departments ot the Trade.—'Che minimum rate of wages for journeymen, fitters, turners, brass finishers, coppersmiths, millwrights, millingmachine men and blacksmiths, shall be 10s per day of eight hours ; pattern-makers, its per day of eight hours; for planers, borers, slotters, and other machine men 9s per day of eight hours. Men at present receiving over 9s per day shall receive 10 per cent, advance on present rates. Young journeymen having served their apprenticeship shall be allowed (if necessary) to work for Iβ per day less than the above rates until attaining the age of twenty-three years in the shop in which they have served their time, but snail then (at twenty-three) receive journeymen's minimum wage. Rate for Overtime.—All time worked, either previous to or after the hours named in Rule 1, also New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Queen's Birthday, Prince of Wales's Birthday, Labour Day, Anniversary Day and Boxing Day, shall be paid at the rate of time and a half ; for Christmas Day, Good Friday and all Sundays double time shall be paid. Night shifts shall be paid 2s per night extra (three consecutive nights to be worked before it can be called a nightshiffc), otherwise overtime rate 3 must be paid. Only one shift of eight bout's out of the tvrenty-fourcan be reckoned as a dayshift.

Number of Apprentices and term of Apprenticeship.—The number of apprentices in each department of the trade shall not exceed one to every four journeymen, or fraction of the first four. All apprentices shall serve a term of five years b&fore reaching the age of twenty-one years.

Out-work Allowance—All time going and returning from outside work, and all travelling expenses, shall be paid for irrespective of distance. Outside a radins of three miles from the Christchurch Post Office, the rate per day shall be Is above the aforementioned rate in rule 2. When working at a distance and unable to return the same night, suitable board and residence shall be provided.

Dirt Money.—On all marine repair work, Is pet , day dirt money shall be paid.

Members of Trades Unions shall be em ployed in preference to uon-Unionists.

Mr Fraser opened the case for the Society.

After the luncheon adjournment, Mr Scott and Mr Anderson, in answer to the Chairman, said they could admit none of the conditions.

The firms of Allison and Smail, Topliss Bros., and Johnston and Son Were included in this section.

Mr Anderson asked if the Minister for .Railways should not be included.

The Chairman said he was not represented. Under a special provision of the Act the Government was not amenable to the Act so far as tie Board was concerned. He (the Chairman) did nofc iiiow if the engineers had taken advice.

Mr T?awcus.,said advice had been taken, and they found that the Minister did not come under the Act. The Railway Servants body alone could sue.

The Chairman pointed out that the Minister was exempt under Section 84. Evidence was called on behalf of the Society.

N. Orton, pattern maker, employed at Scott Bros., stated that forty-four hours a week would be a benefit to men and employer, and the reduction from forty-eight to forty-four would not lessen the results to the employer. He considered from the knowledge required that lls a day was little enough. A reduction to 9s a day, the present wage, came about by the bad condition of trade and the example then set by the Government. Trade in Christchurch now was good, and the men were justified in asking for the increase. His evidence supported the filed statement of the Society.

The witness was exhaustively crossexamined by Mr Anderson and Mr Scott.

J. JiicUson also gave eviddnce, after which the Board adjourned until 10 a.m. to-day.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION Tl-MGRAM.) WELLINGTON, November 1. The dispute between the Wellington Builders' Association and the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joihera came before the Conciliation Board to-day. The provision that on all outside contracts the employers should provide a properly secured place for the workmen's tools, and also the necessary sanitary conveniences was agreed to by the employers. The disputes as to overtime, piecework, and the length of a day's Work on Saturday's are also being considered, but the representatives of the employees said the causes of the disputes were slight, and the relations between the two Societies were very good. The employees held out for Labour Day being classed as a statutory holiday, ana said they were willing to strike out one of the other holidays for it. Mr Kennedy entered a protest against the Union Steamship Company being joined in the dispute, and said the men were perfectly satisfied with the conditions of labour as laid down by the Company. The representative of the employees said he was quite prepared to deal separately with the Union. Company, but Mr Kennedy pressed the Board for a decision as to whether the Company should be joined or not. The Board decided to hear the evidence "on the poiut. In/the afternoon Mr Kennedy put in a document signed by representatives of the 'various trades employed by the Company, stating that' they were perfectly,j?atisfied itfith the arrangements now existing in the Company's shops. As to the hours of labour, it was decided,.to add the decision of theCompany's employees to the Board's award. Mr Kennedy mentioned that the expenditure on labour by the Union Company at Wellington for the year ending 30th September, 1897, was on the Company's repairing yard £22,219, handling of cargo £14,417, total £36,636, or an average of over £700 per week. At times as many. as 252 men were at work in the Wellington yard. Aβ the result of the day's deliberations it was agreed that the rate of pay for competent men should be (blank) per hoiir. At p"resenC the men are paid by the day , . The amount to be paid per hour will be agreed upon or fixed by the- Board later. It was also agreed that all overtime work and work on Saturday, holidays and Saturday afternoons should be paid for at the rate of time and a quarter for the first two hours, and time and a half after two hours. The Board adjourned until to-morrow.