MILL EMPLOYEES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18547, 24 November 1925, Page 3

MILL EMPLOYEES.

IN CONCILIATION COUNCIL. DISPUTE REERRED TO COURT. The Conciliation Council, presided over by the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr AY. H. Hagger, sat yesterday to discuss an industrial dispute between the 'United Millers', Engine-Drivers' and 31.i.1l Fmployees' Union and the Canterbury Flour Millers' Industrial Union of Employers. The assessors for the employers were Messrs F. R. Corson (Wood 13r05., Ltd.), H. AVorrall (IX M. Krown. and Sons, Ltd.), and 11. Gardner (North Canteibtiry Milling Co., Ltd.), with Mr \\ . Cecii Prime. The union was represented by Messrs John Flood (secretary), Edward Hansen, and W. Tutton (Timaru). The 'Union asked that the Timaru United' Millers' and Flour Mills Employees' Union should l>e joined as party to the award. The request was not opposed. Employers' Offer. In reply to the union's demands, the employers filed as counter-proposals the terms of the. present award. The proposal for a 44-hour week was opposed, and passed over until other sections of tho award" had been settled. Iho cliuse covering packermen coincided with the present p.ward except that there was inserted a proposal that assistance should Ive given when making light-w«:ght I i-;.n and pollard, and when vhe niilh, nitti an output of over -.'() bagi. required the packerinau to stack tho sacks. -No agreement being reached on these clauses, they were pished over. To the general conditions clause was a demand, that mills with a capacity of \~> sack-; of flour should have, a purifierimiu on ev.ch shift. Jn reply to xhc employers' statement tha.L the clause was unnceossaiy, it was withdrawn by the union. !.c nas agreed that any employee or other person acting as casual watchman after o p.m. on any working day or on Sundays or holidays should be paid not less than Is 6.1 an hour. The union's proposal with regard to holidavs included Anniversary Day, which was dropped, leaving holidays as under the present award. The clause in the present award govern! nc: tho employment of boys was agreed on. Hours and Wages. In the clause governing the payment of wages, the employees proposed that there should bo no deduction from wages except for time lost through workers' own default. The present clause, with a proviso inserted that, in the case of a stop-

page of power or a breakdown in machinery' during the nighty-shift, the workers should be paid in full for that shift, but should do any other work provided by the employer, was agreed on. The term of service as in the present award wr.s agreed on. In the preference clause, a proposal was agreed on that employers should supply to the union secretary once a month a list of workers coming within the scope of the award. The Arbitration Court's clause with regard to undcr-rato workers was agreed on. For the union Mr Flood said that as the hours question could not be settled alone it. should be joined with the wages, issue. If the employers were prepared to make a substantial in. crease in wages the employees • would sink the '44-hour demand. Mr Prime s-.'.id that the employers would not agree to a weekly wage. A scale of hourly wp.ges based on the decisions of the Arbitration Court was submitted- by the Commissioner and the workers' representatives retired to consider it. Mr Flood, for the employees, said that unless the employers were propared to agree with the Commissioner's suggestion there was no option but to go to the Court. Night Work. Discussing the question of extra payment, for night shift, Mr Prime said that be knew men who preferred to fro on night shift. Mr Flood: They are rare birds! He continued that the employers secured a saving on the cost of power and the workers should have the hencfit of that, saving to compensate for night work. The Commissioner: "When yon ask for double time you make it prohibitive altogether. The clause was referred to the Arbitration Court. It. iv?s decided to leave the term of the award to the Arbitration Court.' The clauses relating to hours of work, wages, overtime, and annual holidavs were referred to the Arbitration Court, the questions of wages for Ixvvs and youths, engine drivers, holidays, terms of sen-ice, and wider-rate workers being agreed to with slight alterations.