ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16701, 9 December 1919, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH SITTINGS.

The Court of Arbitration ««cViid*d its Christchtirch sittings in the Provincial Council Chambers yeit«-rday. His Honour t Mr Justiic Stringer ar.d **;h him were Mr W. Scott and Mr J. A. McCulA NEW COMBINATION. The Union# bavin? amalgamated , under the name of The Christchurch Printing Trades Industrial Union of Worker®. Mr I C.°Rcnn movod to have the following swards adjusted by submitting: lh« r.ame of tb« above Uni-rn for the names r.pp~an"s _» n * e awsrds: Canterbury Female Bookbinders, Paper Rubra, and Cut-rs, Canterbury Industrial Piatrict Paper Ba?, Carton, eml Boxmakere', X.Z. , - • ■ _ c-pt Wellington) Bcokl-ind-rs, » »P« Rtilt*' and Ci;tiers', N.Z. Lithographic and Letterpress P;int<»Ta'. . Mr P.«nn said the app.icn ion made in order to acquaint the araal»nnr.iiion that had ' a^CI ? P* »r'. f „ Mr P. Seli?, on behalf of the. Master Printers' Federation, p-mted out .hat b xraakinj was not an alii; d . He wa« not offering any eenmifl option to its inclusion, so lons &6 non-printer b °Mr d 'Rcnn said they were bound by the "The* Court tho application so far as local unions are concerned. TYPOGRAPHICAL. DISPUTE.

Tho N.Z. Federated Typographical Association made application for an of the N.Z. 'iypograpueis March 14th, JCU7, by incroaiinj the war bonu* &6 provided by tue award, order amending same, a* follows:— (1) Providing that tho war bonua prov by the award of March 14th, , lul ''.°fA aequor.tly amended by an order oi the Arbitration Court daUrl March ith, 1310 > I fJ creaain K tho eaid bonus by 7a 6d P^ r . shall bo further amended by tho addition f £2 2o Cd por week to the uniounts a tte *?} stated, with propoitionate j" !uf day or hourly v;a„'<« piovidsd for under uwaul und amending order. (2) Adding a new clause to Im award «» aubaoquently amended, repea.ing tiine charges provided thetun, and ®} luting throughout the rato and a halt calculated ou the combined wajo« and bonu ®* (3> Adding a further nfw claurfo to Hi® award providing for the payment of a bonus of 30 per cent, on tho earnings of all piooe™The special gTounda upon which the ap-1 plication was baaod were stated to be u toLowa:—(1) Unsatisfactory naturo of agreement dated March 7th, 1013; (2) >»«"*"• ocst of living; (3) pro.poroim condition ot tho industry; (4) improved conditions giantcd to typographers iu other Louiiulous anil countries, noubly Urcat Biitain, South Africa, and America, contrasted with mo email a-Jvanco in .Now Zealand; (5) mcreaaea in wairos and improved conditions granted to other Eai-led and uuakilied occupations ui Z-.-aia.ud; and (6) all relevant con-

sitieialioiiiA , , Mr A. I), llobbie, who appeared m ajjent | for tho l'odciution, said it ivu« not P™" posod to call any cv/.icuc« in Glirlstchuich, but Mr llcna -imposed uddrcesiuy the Lourl reiitive to and machine compositor*. Tho Federation wero acting with the lull coacui-rcnco o£ tho Canterbury Union in tiuir application. Tho Federation asked for a imal hu.uinp of tho ease in Chmtcnurch. Mr Soli-; *aid ho appeared for tho :vew«. paper I'roprktorV A&soaaUon of 2*ew Zeuliia Honour said tho Court had heard tlv® application in Wellington airi it reserved to itsc:f tho light to hew it in any other plaoo than Christchurch. Mr said the upp:ication woa ono for a Dominion award. He thought it was much mote satisfactory to have local awardi, bicauae conditions wero different 111 | various plaota. .... ». Mr lie an euid tho opp.ieation was tno re- ' suit of considarablo dissatisfaction in tn» printing trade. There was giavo reason lo beiiovo that the repves ntatives of tho Federation at tho conference wero altogether ton haety. too i:!-*dviso<l, in accepting tho offer af tho employers M thoy had. liws v.-ho mot ii;e empio/jia wero realty self-elected. Though tho men had honourably followed out the agieemcnt ent'-red into thev had done so with considerable dinsatisfaction. . . _ Hia IJonour: When does it expire.

Mr Ilenn: On April Ist rest. Ilia Honour v-hotti-ir it would not have been morr advisable to houcruiab.y follow it out to the end. Mr Kenn said the Canterbury Typographical Union had withdrawn from the Typographical Federation. The other thrccmain unions, Auckland, Wellington, and Otafio, wore somewhat divided, That brinjj so, the opportunity had been lost eince lust March ot blinking the mutter before the Court. They had evidence to rliow -that tho Untona had not Ixmd conrulted in any way in the selection of representatives at the conference. In 1912, appUciiUw had been made to the Court for an ir.crcuee for linotype cp-ratox-3, but no increase had been granted; in fact, tho petition had b?en mado «liKlit-y worre than In tlu course of further rcmaiks Mr I>nn eaid they hod token cdvantagc of h.st year's Act to come before tho Court Piccc-worli operatora had roc ivci no increase uf pay* declurod, €ince 19J7. Th<? ivi-raje of tho piece-work opoiator was i's 15s per wc-tk. Ibis had bcon corned ever since piece-work canie into operation, and that was a good whu« back in Cluialchuich. Sinco the war broxe out sovenil sections of the community had l>ccn grant<.-J relief from tho coat of llviMf, and he contended thai the typographers wcie entitled to paiticipato iu «uch, ae, tnoujjn they received a higher v.*aj»o _ than many oilier artisana, they hud pio'j.i'jiy committed themselves to higher expenditure. lie claimed that piece-work uparntois put up performances which were iilt.e short of marvellous, wo.k which l'CiUiiod every ounce of onersy tbey poitcitsed. Mr Stiia aula lie had been vory surprised at hearing the atatcuiunt mude by Mr ltona iu rcforcuco to the co:.i«rci:ce. It was uuforiunute that Mr Iv-iiu siiouid mtko such un attack upou the of tho XypojTuf-aicai A :Eoti; tioti. They bad eeoiiud v.M>- Utv.-.il rc-i>r men of ittic'.ii:;onoc, and the final decision had not boon ui Ui.Ui. ui.i- r.->o u-ys. It v<u-» ut iho cojfc.enco that ti.o representatives cf the woikera b-d power to corns to a goillemoi'.t. There had been no d.siro upon tha part ot tlio employers to ths boat of anyone, Tlicy had trud to corno to an honourable arrun;;-in.-:it, and 50 fur as tho cui..loyoi3 wc:o coi.corucd tLey k-d endeavoured to Ciuvv cut that arrangement and ao, ho Lciijvcd, had the m.ll. Th.> statement ho had lid tout d to tliit nioini:ijf was tho tiisl ho hai hvaid ns to ihero being dissatisfaction ia Chiiitchurcli. Ho could aasure tlio Court vhut to tar a-i tho Pitas Company wuj concv.!!• d, uni he I believed he was iijht in 3tulm;; the for tho other offices concerned, there had , boon no oi fii'.saiishu 1:011 so ir.r ae lie i could gather. He pointed out that tho . o»;rccinent which c:imc to i'-s termination ' at the end of Mcreh next wns now .0 ! bo seriously n;to;ci wilhin a short ponou of its end. Ho dcscriS*! it as iJmast an I intuit to the iaU>:ii;'-':.cc of tho Cuu.t to ask it to believe that the cost of living lied -on- uo 33 per <•<=»'• sI:KC a'-Trccra:iii was made. Tho minimir.u r:iio for csy lir-o-tvpe hard?, inon on time, v.ca £1 £>3 lo.' » week of 1- hours and ri.Tr.t_ hands rtc.ivcd 10 cer cent, moro, tho job 1 ''lino.' men rccc'ived £i 2<» Ci for 4-2 ho-.ira, tlio hand "comps." roceivcd £3 17s r<l for ■•S houm, whi'ih the confTor.ce to on January i 1.-t to fx]no io 43 hours, bulk hands rec-iivc j ! £3 17s C<l for 42 liours for day work fid •£( 61 for ni"ht work, second sJor*» hanc-a • rec ivM it Oa Cd for '2 hiurs for dsy worn, ! cud £1 7s C-J for ri:h: wo-k. It should b? :od that the niir.iuiuni not al'vuvs n:r.xinn.ri: m a m"tt?r of fact, some of the tirm? in C'nr^.tchur:h were Daving more than tii> mirimum in eoice i:as~?. Mr Itenn had tr.il that when the ,>pcrators were un i;ic:e:-.«! oi £-3 thoy v ore nakid to incrccfe their production * TWO ens to ~~<'J but it wrs found that ?omo :nen co.ild not do it and were not pail ll;'- extra Ss. M far bs the city pa-.cr officcs cor.oornrd, lio could that an emphatic doi.iul. Ibo incrcaeo gi.cn liono-rai.:/ and i pointod out thut some "lino." opera'-oi® had : earned up to iS a:-_l £3 Iks per ! piece work. At the cor.fernxe bo had *o.a the Fedcia'.inn's representatives rlain.y th:n 'if t.ioy v.nntcJ nioro than ""imo."_ operators 1 wero earning for :.'J or 33 hours' lo i would have to put Lis men baci on a j weeklv , His Honour: That w.-ird mean that tte I earnings of the men would conie down. I jx- Solij: "Y«, we would b."> co:np"iled Ito clo ihis." Ho subrr;t'e<l that the increase! cort of livin? ai.l not those operators ; so much as thci-> in lower peii Hs did not think that the t ocrt shou-d take into cons:i?r:itiar anytil cyor.d t-o mcrerscd cost of livi-~. H: thought it• ws -® ontrasreous that men rhould ro i-to Co'-irj and f.iv that, because they were with the conference, th-y nsk for an sni-1 4r.t wVou it ww prorc^-^. to the men that 7;?Vj erts sVou'd be rrolucot. on "»!ab." or d.iy va~«, it wri stated lv on« of the m"n's thnt thct e?-.i. no i rofsibly done, but when tho m;': wcr!>*put on "ni'-te" it w?js for.rd t.:;t and a :rr"2t deal imre. coi ) 1 be «?oio T|. as mTich er«e ns a rirl corH wo-k r. t.."writer. He ho r .H 11-.f. th» at tho corferenc" for! I be carrird cu.. n. did not »b'nV that Mr Ecna *»« correct

in his statement '.bat iirotrpo men li eu «;■ to their caxnincs. Th y wore, s> s r thrifty rr.cn. lie eubir.ut.d that :.o <i;u • Uon should l;o left ur.tr ox; iry of • award at the cr.d c: lUrch r.cr.t, th? Court could, of coarso, under the W-.w Regulations, ccr.fidcr .-r. ir.crca.«e ;n tlilirht of the irer-eased ro=: cf Mr E. C. H :i: <r.::oreC\i '.he argnscr.V submitted by Mr Hi* Honour eaid it x"s most n".fort"r.at--thr.t after hr.Tin? loyally carried on: terms cf the agreement mule, toe I*e.K*mt:ort, within two or throe ir.ortha of its ti-mu:;a-should repudiate it. Mr* R.nn euV:r.iticd tl'-t th? tho agreement h-d rot leer. :i-' before wa<i of tea ch.iotic condition of the AMOoiv ion's (rtyrerr.mcni. [ Mr F.obbie eaii t".\ o -T3~vii.r"l Tr.'Ti s";' ' msde eor-sidcrablo .idv:ine--fl in thei.- in 1 al! bit th» two cotint'i-<3 thcro an Arbi'ration Conri. lie, h'TO'e!?, w.-a oat!"fied with tli» Osv-rt, Hu the- m-n bad cot it into *h-ir th?t 1h" Court rr.< tt-.-Nrmnnthotic with them. 'T i>f'd ■" them: I "Before yon take ttnr r?rn«tir_ :n rei tr.'H to ranocl'ii? your Tori«trati->n' ' I His Horimir V~h---i Mr - | fbo Oo'ft in 1>? :r? what h* (Hi TTn*"->r-r1 tho'tTh*. "-?« 'orcovert threat. If Mr T>Hr> wrs '? rnnke srr the o?urt th?.t tr- > •eoeiition'# ntli'i'd" in 1 '• ci-irelHiT of !•« r<>~i"*rn!ion d??e'?ded n"«i vh?t it pot from the Pr"'t. he wmld di.°nti«A p-\r>!ir?»tiin KtrrM'-ht n**"^r■ Mr KohViV; I rppVe if -re wi l ' 1-ml'r i<Hde br Conrt* nlwnvn by tho Court's deci-ion or.<i t-?> erer will. . In tlv> entire of further reTi-rV*. Mr ■p o liVi» (tflid th»T wit. p^oent n now in order to timn and i-ernT-nience. Mr paid he —>* (piite *• i in™ to lettvo th« mnt'«r to tT"> C"nrt. , e iT».a Poi lT t, rt <he of Mr S^U.-. to th<> v"ri""< newspaper nid the "* Tho Court then ndjoumed. FTT.^n. (PRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, Ucocinbsr 8. The award filed in the butchers' dispute fixes tho hou.-s (roin 7 a.>n- to 5 r- 111 * on four days of the week, with ouo hour for dinner; Saturday from 6 a.tn. to o r.:u., with an hour and n ha'.f for meals; Avcuncsday« 7 a.m. to noon. VVas;«—Hrst sjopmaa or small joodsman. r.ot losa than £1 ,* id. second nhopnian, £3 17» &d; all 'H £3 12b Gd. with u weekly bonU3 ot 5s for all worker*. Tho overtime rate « «^ c a " d » half. Female labour, oscopt the * fe ° r daughter of the employer, is prohibited. There is a special provision ::or bona fido poiU butchers cl;o;3, vitii ho r not exceeding 47 per vrcek '° o m ( fl 5s to £2 lffl, according to length tHirvice. Tho duration of the from Janunrv let. IMO, to October 20lh, JJ-i. The bakers' award, filed b '_ honra to 48 por woe'K. to be by the employer, with overling in hours worked on any one da>. t, -- - • U,» I.r man *»>« wr«:k, journeymen £' l 3 > vit'u a hornii in addition of S ,~v >OT 23th" Tho award will operMefromDecember 23th, 1319, to December C3tb» 1—