THE PAINTERS' DISPUTE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11006, 2 July 1901, Page 3

THE PAINTERS' DISPUTE.

Thß Conciliation Board .met yesterday. Mr A. H. Turnbull presided, and Messrs TV Gapes and J. Palmer (representatives of the employers), and C. Taylor (representative of the* Unions) were also present. The adjourned dispute of tlie Painters' Union against the master painters was token first.

The Chairman stated that as Mr Gapes was an interested party' he had applied for leave to withdraw during the hearing of tlie case. Mr Gapes accordingly retired. "Messrs W. Williams, H. Manning, and T. H. Pyne appeared for the Union, and Messrs W. H. McDougall. (representing Mr B. Button), J. A. Paton, T. Gapes, and B. P. Manhire represented the employers. The following was the statement submitted by the Cftristchuroh Painters' Industrial "Union of Workers:— "

1. The recognised' hours of work shall bo from eight to five on five days of the week, and from eight to noon on Saturdays; one hour to be allowed each day for dinner (Saturdays excepted):Jfront; September Ist to April 30th (both inclusive). 2. From May Ist to August 31st one ihalfhour for dinner, and to leave off work at half-past four p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

3. All journeymen (except those hereinafter mentioned") working at any branch of the trade for any employer, shall be paid not less than one shilling and threepence lis 3d) per hour. 4. Employees shall be at the shop on pay day at the ordinary knocking-ofiE time, or shall be paid on the* job. Wages shall be paid weekly. Employees walking or waiting for wages in their own time shall be paid at the ordinary rate of wages. 5. Subject to condition 8, any workman who is not considered capable of earning ten shillings per day shall be paid such lesser sum (if any) as'diaiH from time to time be agreed upon in writing between such workman and the Chairman and Secretary of the Union; and in defaiult of such agreemient as shall be fixed in writing by the Chairman of the Conciliation Board, upon the application of such workman, after twenty-four hours', notice to the Secretary of the Union, who shall (if desired by him) be heard'by tie dhairman upon the application.

. 6. All work worked beyond the time mentioned in clause* 1 and _ shall be"considered overtime, and shall be paid for at the following rate:—After 5 p.m. and up to 6 p.m. at the ordinary rate: between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. time and a quarter; bstween 8 p.m. and midnight, time arid a half; after midnight till 8 a.m. on the following morning, double time; on Saturdays, time and a half from 1 p.m. up to midnight; on Sundays, Christmas Day, Good Friday and Labour Day, double time. 7. The following holidays shall be observed:—New Year's Day. Easter Monday, Duke of York's Birthday, Metropolitan bhow Day, Anniversary Day,'and Boxing

8. Employers shall employ members of the Christchurch Painters' Union, or members of any other properly constituted Union of Painters, in preference to non-members, provided that the members of the Union are equally qualified with non-members to perform the particular work to be done, and ere ready and willing to undertake it. When non-members are employed there; shall ,be no distinction between members v and. non-mem-bers, both shall work together in harmony, and both shall work under the same conditions, _and receive equal pay'for equal work. The Union shall at all times keep in some convenient place within one mile from the Chief Post Office in Christchurch a book to be. called "The Employment Book," wherein shall be entered thf- rames ard exact addresses of all members «f the Union for the time beirig ont of employment, with a description of the branch of the trade in which such workman claims to be proficient, and the names and addresses and occupation of every employer by whom each such workman shall have been employed during the preceding two years. - 9. E-ihplovers shall not place any obstacle in the way of the representative of the Union collecting or endeavouring to collect moneys due to the Union from its members, provided the same be done out of working hours..

10. All apprentices shall ba legally indentured for the term of five years. Employers - shall be allowed one apprentice for the first four men or fraction therof, and one apprentice for every additional four men. Shops to. be allowed one apprentice every two years. 11. Should an employer from any unforeseen cause be unable to carry out his obligation to his apprentice, it shall bs lawful for the apprentice to complete his term with another employer, and such employer already having his full complement of apprentices shall not be debarred from taking on such extra apprentice. 12. Workmen shall be one mile from bis employer's place of business at 8 a.m. W_ en a job is more than one mile and not more than three miles, they shall travel to and from the job in thair own time, and shall bS conveyed or have their travelling expenses paid to "and from tJie job. When the job is more than three miles and not more than eight miles, tbey shall travel one way in their own time, and one way in the employer's time, and shall be conveyed to or have their travelling expenses paid to and from the job. When the job is more than eight miles, they shall travel to and from the job 'in-the employer's time, and shall be conveyed or have their travelling expenses paid to" and from the job. These distances to be reckoned from the employer's place of business. 13. When tbe distance necessitates lodging, workmen shall be paid two shillings per day extra, or have their board found. No workman shall work overtime in respect of such board. • The case for the Painters' Association had closed before the Court had adjourned, but there were several painfers, not members of the Association, who had not been heard. Many of these appeared yesterday, but did not elect to call fresh evidence, most of them expressing themselves satisfied with whatever recommendation the Board might make. When the-Board rflmmed at two o clock the Union's contention, that Mr William Sev's statement as to the wages he had been paying his men was incorrect, was taken. Mr Manning stated that when the case was heard previously, Mr Sey had stated that he paid his men on an average £2 6s per week. The Union would call two of Mr Sev's' leading hands to show that they were not receiving the £2 6s. Mr Sey, in rej*d_f to Mr Manning, stated

that during the year he had employed about fifteen men. He had. estimated the average paid to tha men upon what was being paid to the men employed.at the time the estimate was taken.' Mr Manning submitted that the estimate should have covsjred the year. James McCullough stated that he had been employed by Mr Sey for about eleven months between March, 1900, and March, 1801, and his average wages were under £52 2s a week, and tins' included overtime. To Mr McDnugall: He had estimated this amount by taking the number of weeks he bad worked, and the amounts paid to him each week. During the last twelve months he had been employed by two other firms, but not during the time he had been employed by Mr .Sey. Frank Teague stated that he had been employed by Mr Sey regularly for the paat twelve months, and his averago showed £2 3s Id per wsek. The Chairman stated that there was nothing very much in the Union's contention, as Mr Sey had included in his estimate the overtime paid. Tho disputa was then adjourned.