AN AGREEMENT REACHED.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 12 August 1932, Page 9

AN AGREEMENT REACHED.

TIMBER-YARDS WORKERS' DISPUTE. SUCCESS OF CONCILIATION COUNCIL. •'•Tins lias been quite the easiest task I have bad during my term in this position," remarked tlio Conciliation Commissioner, Mr S. Ritchie, at the conclusion of the hearing of the Canterbury timber-yards, sawmills, and coalyards employees' industrial dispute in the Conciliation Council yesterday morning. A complcto agreement was reached during the morning by the employers and the employees, and application will'be niado immediately for the recognition of the agreement as an award.

After a number of conferences between the employers and tho employees, only a small ■ number of differences remained to be settled by tho Council. By arrangement, the employees did not file any counter-claim to tho demands of the employers. The matters in dispute were the inclusion of a starting time for employees, tho wages of yard labourers and sawyers, the terms of cugagoment of head yardmen, and tho conditions of the payment of overtime. The assessors Mere: Employers, Messrs C. E. Otley, William Goss, E. Johnston, and D. I. Maedonald;, employees, Messrs 11. M. Maefarlane, M. Flannery. J. Foster, and T. Smith.

Wages of Labourers. After some discussion it was agreed that the award should include a clause providing that the starting time of employees should not be earlier than 7 a.m. The employees pointed out the neeessitv for carting timber and coal before the streets became congested, and claimed that hi many cases the empjoyees preferred to start work early, with the consequent chance of earning a little overtime at the conclusion of their regular eight hours. "If paid at the rates suggested by the employers these men will receive just a farthing an hour more than do relief workers in Canterbury," declared Mr Foster,, referring to the proposed rate of Is 7d an hour for yard labourers. He claimed that it was a particulow scale of payment. Mr Macdonald pointed out that the work was continuous and was therefore not to be compared with relief work. "The only thing, we can consider is the relationship bet-ween the various classes in one industry. We cannot compare them with other Industries at the present time, because all awards will shortly be subject to reductions." Thc'asscssors for the employees agreed to a rate of Is 7d an hour for labourers. Referring to the position of the head yardman. Mr Macfarlane said he was a skilled worker, with a great deal of responsibility. Tie had to give orders to other men and carried more authority when he was employed on a weekly basis than when he was being paid by the hour. ! Mutual Concessions. After conferring separately the employers' assessors announced that they ; were prepared to concede two of the three remaining points on which they |

differed irith (lie employees: Hie employment of head yardman on a weekly basis at £3 19s a week (the same wage as thoy were reciving previously at an hourly rate less two 10 per cent, cuts), and a halfpenny an hour more far sawyers in coalyards than the employers had proposed in their demands. They intended, however, to abide by their demand for the payment of overtime at the rate of time and a quarter for the first three hours' overtime instead of for the first two hours as desired by the employees. Mr Maefarlane agreed to the proposals ou behalf of the employees. Mr Flannery thanked the Conciliation Commissioner for his efforts to bring about a settlement and the employers' assessors for the very conciliatory spirit in which they had approached the dispute. "It has never been a hard job to effect an amicable settlement with the employers," he said, "and I hope it will be as easy in the future:"

Congratulations on Agreement. "I also wish to thank and congratulate tho opposite side for the manner in which they have dealt with a very unpleasant task," said Mr Goss. The representatives of the workers, he said, always had a difficult task in such disputes. lie was sorry that circumstances were such as to make it necessary for the employers to ask for reduced wages, but tho economic conditions obtaining precluded any other possibility. He hoped that the next time an agreement was under consideration the employers would be in a position to give an increase in wages. It reflected adversely on the employers' as well as on the employees when the standard of living had" to be reduced, and lie and his colleagues keenly regretted the present position. "As far back as I can remember we have been able to settle our award by conciliation," concluded Mr Gogs. "It speaks very well for the conciliation system when such satisfactory results can be pointed to."

"This dispute has provided a very good illustration of true conciliation," stated Mr Ritchie, after thanking the previous speakers for their remarks. "Both sides recognised the fact that adjustments had to be made, and they have made them in a verv fine spirit indeed. The 'first essential in business is the relationship between employer and employee, and I am satisfied after hearing this dispute that when conditions do improve such steps will be taken as will be of benefit to both."