ARBITRATION COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 57, 30 November 1907, Page 2

ARBITRATION COURT.

BUILDING LABOURERS' DISPUTE. The Arbitration Court has issued its award in the dispute between the Wellington Building Trades Labourers' Union and the employers. The hours of work are fixed at 45 per week, between 7.45 a.m., and 5 p.m., except on Saturdays, when the working day clones at 11.45 a.m. When it is necessary to prepare material'or'work'before the ordinary.' hours* of commencing, the' employer may employ, not more than two workers to do such necessary work for not liiore than half an hour before the ordinary time for commencing work, and in such caso only tile ordinary rate of pay shall be paid for the time so worked. Labourers employed in connection 'with' the erection,. alteration, or demolition of any building, or in excavating or preparing the ground for the sanio shall be paid at the rate of Is. ljd. per hour. Those engaged in the erection of, scaffolds shall receive; Is. per hour. Overtime shall be paid at the rate of time and a quarter for the first two hours) and time and a half thereafter., Double time shall be paid for Sundays, Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, New Yoar's Day, the King's Birthday, and Labour Day. All wages shall be paid weekly in cash, on the job, within a, reasonable time after work lias ceased. Men employed at suburban work shall be,at the place where the .work is to bo performed, at the hour appointed. for commencing work, but if such place is more than a mile distant from the' General Post Office, the. labourer shall be paid tho ordinary rate of wages for. the time occupied in proceeding thereto and therefrom at the rate of four miles, for every hour, with a proportionate allowance' for more or Jess than ..an hour, but the time; occupied in' proceeding for tho first * mile and a half shall be dodeducted. A sliding scale. is ' provided to regulate tho payment .of youths,, from 18s. per week up to 17 years of . age, to Gs. per day at 21 years of age. The proportion; of youths to men shall not. be' more than one. to five. All tools shall'be supplied by tho employer, who shall also .provide accommodation, to the satisfaction, of the Inspector of Factories, to enable labourers to . change their clothes and have their meals. The Award contains the usual provisions in regard .to the employment of under-rate workers, preference to unionists, and the keeping of a wages book. The Wellington Harbour Board is exempted from.tho operation of the Award so long as it shall not pay less than-the wages'and overtime laid down. The Gear Meat Co., Ltd., is exempted so far as relates to repairs in or small additions to existing buildings'. The Carrara; Ceiling Co., Ltd., is exompted so far as relates to any work done inside its factory. The Award shall apply only to employers carrying on business in Wellington and suburbs. It shall come into force on the !)th of next month, and remain in force until Decdmber 31, 1909.