WORKERS IN FOUR DEPARTMENTS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29326, 4 October 1960, Page 16

WORKERS IN FOUR DEPARTMENTS

Order By Government Service Tribunal (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 3. The Government Service Tribunal today made an order consolidating current provisions applying to conditions of work for regulation 130 workers in the Works, Electricity. Lands and Survey, and Maori Affairs Departments. The order, resulting from the joint application of the Public Service Commission and the New Zealand Workers’ Union, is the culmination of long negotiations Mr H. J ‘ Allen, for the union, said the negotiations probably resulted in the biggest single major alteration ever undertaken in the order. He believed the result would be better administration and fewer disputes. The major change is a weekly wage to replace the hourly rates, except that casual workers may still be hired by the hour for special emergency work. This change necessitated the full revision of the order with amendments to and cancellation of various clauses. Regulation 130 workers in the Maori Affairs Department have now been included In the order Few in number, they were previously covered by Order No. 6 Up to now, drivers and machine operators have been employed on a 42*i-hour week and on a weekly wage. It has now been agreed that in the future all workers shall be employed on a 40-hour week basis, and operators’ wages have been converted accordingly The small proportion of drivers and operators adversely affected will be protected by the operation of a moratorium up to the end of Christmas, 1961. closedown

A new scale of wages provided in the order is based on the recent increased wage rates granted by the tribunal in Order No. 228. dating from April 1, 1960.