CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Press, Volume L, Issue 15015, 9 July 1914, Page 4

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

ENGINEERS' DISPUTE.

A sitting of, the Conciliation Council was beld in the Provincial Council Chambers yesterday, Mr .J. R. Triggs, Conciliation Commissioner, presiding. Tho Christchurch branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers' Industrial "Union of 'Workers cited _3_ # firms •carrying on busines- as engineers throughout Canterbury. The assessors for tho employers were Messrs G. Whittaker. F. W. Anderson, , and F_ Cooper. The assessors for the Union were Messrs C. V. Fraser, S. King, and C Cookson. Mr Ellaton conducted the case for the Union. The chief demands of the Union wero in the direction of altering the hours of •work, scale of wages, and conditions' governing tho employment of approutioes. The hours demanded were a 44 hours' week, eight hours to be worked on each working day except Saturday, upon -which four hours were to be worked Orertiß-B at the rate of time and a h&lf to be paid, and -.ystomatic overtime not to be allowed. Holidays Snnday work double time; night shifts 50 per cent, extra; three consecutive nights to be worked before it could bo, recognised as a night shift, other.viso overtime rates.. A number of demands were macfe r6-ga.-hne outside work and dirt money, and the rate of general wages asked was Is 8d per .hour and 13s 4d per dfly for fitters., trimmers, armature wiuders, milling mechanics, motor mechanics, brass finishers, die sinkers, and tool makers. "universal crindere, blnck and coppei*smith_ jcliversmiths, stampers and drop hammer forgers, planers, shaners. slotters, and borers. Pattern makerIs Bjd per hour, or 13s 8d per day; drillers, screwers, and other machinists Is 4_d. or lis. Leading hands to W ceivo 25 per cent, in addition to the above rates. Piecework task work, or premium bonus system to bo barred under any conditions whatever. The wages asked for apprentices wero:—First 10s: second, losthird. 20s: fourth. 30.«; fifth, 40s; and . at the expiration of the apprenticeship j the ordinary wage should bo paid. An j innovation with regard to the conditions ;of apprentice; was ib« following d.v- - mand:-~A Board of' Examiners shall; bo appointed to consist of one rcpresen- j tativo of the Union and one represen- I tative of tho employers. Periodical examinations of the apprentice shall tafco place in the month of May. -Such examinations to be held in tbo workshop where the apprentice is omn-loyod. Th. enroloyer shall provide machinery, timo. and ms-tori-d. and in every way facilitaf*» tho work of the examiners.'* The emplcvers counter proposals tvero th« old award. T'«* tr.tfT"<»tinn._l Harv.».-».■ Co. ar-P, tbo Massey-Harris Co., applied to be struck off the citation list, which was done, althmi-rh tho Union assessors pro-te-ted aeain.t this, contending that the Gxn.s mentioned should be cited. Messrs Tranter and Sons ateo applied for exemption, whirl* was refused. A good deal of discussion ensued on t-be t.>rm=-. of tbe demands, but it was obvious from the first that the dilute would in the main, co to the Arbitration Court. Tb. Union mado a stronc point of the .4 hours week. Wiich aceord>n<r to the employere, would not be considered. Finally it- -»** decided, as bad been dono i" other places, to let tbe disrate go to tbo Arbitration Court for a. Dominion award.