SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22550, 4 November 1938, Page 14

SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD

AUCKLAND UNION'S DECISION DISCUSSION ON HOURS AND WAGES (PEES 3 ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) AUCKLAND, November 3. It is proposed by the Auckland Drivers' Union to hold a special meeting of members on Sunday at the Trades Hall to discuss the new award. Special meetings are also being arranged in other centres for the same purpose. The views expressed at the Auckland meeting are to be communicated to Wellington. The provisions in the new award for hours and wages do not fulfil the desires expressed at a meeting of about 800 members of the Auckland Union held last week. Then members expressed the opinion that the union should be awarded a 40-hour week for all drivers and an increase in wages, of 10s a week. The new award ad r ' heres to the former 44-hour week, with the exception of those men who have been working a smaller number, and grants a wages increase of 5s a week. Another' question discussed at that meeting was annual holidays, members expressing the opinion that these should be of two weeks.

The secretary of the union, Mr L. G. Matthews, said he did not yet know what holiday provisions had been made in the new award. He would be discussing the matter at Wellington before Sunday's meeting was held.

LOCAL BODIES' DRIVERS DOMINION AWARD ISSUED WAGES RAISED BUT HOURS THE SAME By a majority decision of the Second Court of Arbitration, a general increase in wages of 5s a week, with proportionate increases for hourly workers, is provided for in the New Zealand Local Bodies' Drivers' Award, which was issued yesterday. Hours have been fixed at a maximum of 42 and a half weekly as in the expired award. The general increase in wages, Mr Justice Hunter states in his memorandum, was granted by the Court in conformity with the pronouncement in the sugar workers', dispute. The Co.urt, his Honour said, recognised, as previous awards had done, that it was necessary for drivers to work longer hours than labourers. On the evidence submitted during the hearing of' the dispute, the Court was satisfied that the industry could not be efficiently carried on in fewer than the hours awarded. The workers' representative (Mr A. W. Croskery) dissented from the decision of the majority of the Court Minimum Wages Minimum weekly rates of wages for workers coming within the scope of the award are as follows:—Driving and attending one horse, £4l3s; two horses, £4 16s; more than two, 6d a day or 2s 6d a week for each additional horse; driving any motor vehicle up •to two tons, with load, including motor-cycles and tri-cars, £4 16s; two tons to four tons, £4 18s 6d; four to five and a half, £5 Is; five and a half to 10, £5 ss; more than 10, £5 8s; tractors not otherwise specified, and used with trailers or graders. £5; grader drivers, £5 10s; grader operators, £5 7s 6d; tractor, scarifier, mechanical shovel, excavator, or any other motor-propelled implement, and heavy road roller (other than steam drivers engaged on road construction and maintenance work), 2s 6Jd an hour; small mo tot rollers, £4 16s.

Workers employed upon country work are to be paid an additional sum of 5s 2d a working day. In lieu of this, however, the employer may provide suitable board and lodging, or, where he provides accommodation only, 2s lOd a day, as food allowance. Where workers are removing boulders, metal, or stone by hand, they are to be paid 2d an hour extra while so employed, and are to be provided with gumboots. Overtime is to be paid for at the rate of time and a half. One week's holiday is granted on full pay. The award will operate from October 31 last to October 31, 1939.