MOTOR AND HORSE DRIVERS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25935, 15 October 1949, Page 8

MOTOR AND HORSE DRIVERS

PROVISIONS OF NEW AWARD

A new award for the New Zealand Road Transport and Motor and Horse Drivers’ Union has been made by the Court of Arbitration. A 40-hour week and certain wage and overtime increases are provided in the new award.

“The conditions of the expired award, including hours of work and overtime, were agreed on bv the parties.” said the employers' representative (Mr W. Cecil Prime) in a dissenting opinion. “No evidence was submitted by the applicant to show that there have been changes in the industry which now warrant shortening the daily hours and increasing the overtime rates, but both these things have been done. I cannot agree that such a decision is justified.”

An objection on behalf of the Dairy Factories and Related Trades Employees’ Union that there was some overlapping of membership and that a new award should not be made was not sustained.

A 40-hour five-day week for town and country workers has been introduced by the. new award.

Wages for town workers vary from £6 16s 3d a week for those driving and attending one horse to £7 12s for drivers of vehicles over 10 tons. These rates are retrospective and payable from December 8. 1948, to May 31, 1949. The rates are increased to £7 2s lid and £7 18s 8d from June 1, 1949. Country drivers’ wages up to May 31 range from £6 18s (vehicles under two tons) to £7 10s (vehicles over seven tons). As from June 1 these rates are increased to £7- 10s 3d and £8 0s 9d. Extra payments for town workers handling certain classes of goods are provided.

Youths of 18 to 19 years of age are to be paid £3 17s in the towns and £3 19s in the country. These rates represent an increase of 3s 6d on the retrospective rates to May 31. Annual increases in youths' wages are also stipulated.

Payment at the rate of time and a half for the first three hours and double time thereafter is stipulated for overtime work, provided in the case of town work-

ers that all time worked between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. shall be paid for at the rate of double time. All time worked by town drivers up to four hours between 6 a.m. and noon on Saturdays shall be paid for

at the rate of time and a half, and all time worked in excess of four hours or after noon on Saturdays shall be paid for at the rate of double time. Town drivers who work on Sundays shall be paid double time.

Drivers' assistants’ wages from June 1 are fixed at £3 9s 6d for youths under 18 years, rising to £5 8s for workers of 20 to 21 years. These rates also represent increases on the retrospective rates.

The award will continue in force until April 13, 1951.