CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15669, 6 June 1916, Page 4

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

BUTCHERS' DISPUTE. The Conciliation Council sat yesterday to hear the Butchers' disnuto. Mr 'J. U. Triggs, the Commissioner, prcj sided, and the assessors were: Mossr* \V. 11. Pliipps, Walter Murray, William Harris, for the employees, and Messrs T\ H. Steele, James Knight. G. Q. Tillobsni, for the employers, The country employees were represented oy Mr W. Eraser. of Rangiora. j'ho claim made bv the I'nion demanded a 49-hour week. The wages claim was as follows: First shopmen, £3 15s per week; second shopmen, -£3 •5s per week; first Small goods man, £'3 15s; second small goods man, £:s ss; and all other workers, £3 a week; slaughtermen to be paid not Jess than £3 It's for a week of 41 hours, casual slaughtermen to be paid 15s a day, and country slaughtermen not to be paid less than £3 10s. The conditions of apprentices were defined, and their wages wero fixed as follows: First year, 17s Gel per week; second year 20s ; third year, 255: fourth year, 30s; fifth year, 40s. Casual boy labour was prohibited, as was female labour. Tho usual holidays wore demanded, and til- customary preference clause. The employers* submitted a counterclaim. which practically consisted of the old award. The country butchers objected to being included in the Christehureh. award, and at the suggestion of Mr Triggs, retired to draw up proposals suitable to the carrying on of their businesses. An application was received from the pork butchers asking to be include*! in the same award, and Mr G. Andrews appeared in support of the application. The employers' assessors wero agreeable, and the Commissioner pointed out that the pork butchers were working under the award. The two pal-ties then retired to discuss the dispute in committee. Tlie Country Butchers, alter 'he luncheon adjournment, reported they had agreed to accept the terms of the Auckland award, ■which had been suggested as a basis for their present demands, with alterations to suit the distrcts re presented, and empowered the City Butchers' Association to sign a separate award as on their behail. The maii'. points agreed on were a 52-hours' wesk, a minimum wage of £3, casual workers to receive Is 6d per hour, ami the wages of youths to run from 17s Gd to £2 L!s. according to age; the award to come into operation on July Ist. and to extend to July Ist. 191 S. Tlie award will apply to the Industrial District of Canterbury outside a radin.. of 10 nliles from the Post Office. The City butehers reached an agreement on the following terms: —Hours, •3*2 per we.--.k; wages, general hands £3, shonmen £3 10s, boys a3 per old afrard.