Arbitrator’s Ruling In Jointers’ Dispute

Press, Volume C, Issue 29588, 10 August 1961, Page 22

Arbitrator’s Ruling In Jointers’ Dispute

(Aew Zealand Prat Attodaiion)

WELLINGTON. August 9. To balance the recent appointment by the Wellington City Council of an immigrant cable-jointer at a wage of 8e o£«d an hour, one of the council's existing staff now paid at 7s 6d an hour should be chosen “as a leading jointer, supernumerary to the council's establishment if necessary, and paid the higher rate. He should be absorbed into the establishment as opportunity offers. This Is the decision of Mr H. J. Thompson, SM., arbitrator in the dispute between the council and its cablejointers. The decision was announced today by the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand). The North Istand Electrical Workers’ Union’s complaint was that the council was morally, not legally, wrong in paying a new cable-jointer, engaged in England, at the rate of 8s o»4d per hour, while four cable-jointeie already in the council's employ were paid only 7s 8d an hour.

The union asked that the four be placed on the top rate also.■ Giving his decision, Mr Thompson observed that a man could be appointed a cable-jointer on the council’s staff with no requirements of tests, apprenticeships or certificates and might graduate from the ranks of labourer through . cable-jointer's assistant to cablfe-jointer in less than two yedrs. , When the English cablejointer started, there were seven cable-jointers, three of whom were classed as leading cable-jointers and were paid at the top rate of &s o%d an hour. Four were paid at 7s fid an hour, which was Bj4d above the award rate. “One must feel considerable sympathy with the jointer concerned who finds himself in an unfortunate position iii being the centre of an industrial tornado through no fault of his own," observed Mr Thompson. He said the union freely admitted that the corporation had done nothing legally wring. It seemed, though, that the workers by going on strike had committed a breach of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act and of their contract with their employers, said Mr Thompson. The four jointers should have an opportunity of stating their cases for promotion to a committee of the electrical engineer, the jointers’ ove’-sect, and one official in close touch with the men. When the second cablejointer engaged by the council arrived from England, thg next most meritorious for promotion, in the opinion of the committee, should be promoted. Mr Thompson recommended that the staff should be told about prospective appointments from England and given the chance to apply for positions carrying promotion. "With the exercise of some common sense and with better industrial relations, no strike need have occurred. The council felt it was legally in the right and took the position that it was not going to be dictated to by. the union," said Mr Thompson. .