DRIVERS" WAGES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13741, 24 May 1910, Page 8

DRIVERS" WAGES.

COUNCIL TO APPEAL TO ARBITRATION COURT.

The City Council last night decided to appeal to tho Arbitration Court on the dispute regarding the payment of carters in the Councd's employ. The secretary of the Drivers' Union .wrote detailing what had happened before the Arbitration Court when the CoiincU was exempted- from certain clauses of the drivers' award, and contended that as the Council had accepted the old conditions as an award for its employees classed as ( drivers, and had worked under that award for twelve months, it was legally bound to continue on that basis during the currency of, the award. It the drivers were not given their full wages and paid the back money, which had been stopped, the Council would be reported for breach of award.

Cr. H. J. Otley said the Council and the Union wero at cross purposes, and the best plan was for the Court to settle it. If the Council had committed a breach of the award then it wotdd have-to pay for it. Ho would move that the letter should be referred to tho Council's solicitors, and tho matter taken before the Arbitration Court.

. The motion was seconded *by Cr, Sorenseu.

The Mayor said he entirely ?pprovod of the proposal. The Council had always been willing to pay whatever tho Court ordered.

The motb'i was supported by Cr. Williams, who said'that steps should have been taken months ago. He believed that only two or three of the Council's men were dissatisfied.

Tho motion was put and carried unanimously.