SEAMEN'S WAGES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 142, 10 March 1908, Page 9

SEAMEN'S WAGES.

INCREASES GRANTED. AN AGREEMENT TO BE FILED. ' In connection with tho conferenco between tlio. shipping companies of Now Zealand and representatives of tho New Zealand branch' of tho Australasian Federated Seamen's Union, certain terms offered 'to the .men by tho companies in regard to payment for ovortimo and other matters wero referred by tho Union, to its component branches. Replies havo now been received from these, to tho number of about fifty, of which a .vory large majority are in favour of accept-, ing tho conditions offered. ' Under' tho Union's constitution, this . decides the matter. The .. companies had previously agroed to tho men rocoiving an increase'in wages of 10s. 'a montlr all round, and that tho other terras havo been agreed to by - the men,' tho representatives of both' parties will draw up an agreement ombody-\ ing the results' arrived at, and tho Arbitration Court will be asked to givo: to' this agrooment tho force of an award to tako tho place of tho current award, which expires on April I.' "■ ' ' '

i Tho new conditions, are, briefly, as follow The menr—both deck hands' and firemen—are to receivo an- increase, of 10s.. . a month: , ■■<; , .'•,..., Overtime for cargo work is to be.at ■ tho rate of Is,. 3d. air hour. ,The over--timo for ordinary ship's work remains as at presont,. viz., Is. an-hour. Saturday aftornoon off at terminal ports has. been conccdcd ,to firemen, • es- •« copt in exceptional cases. • Sinco 1897 a special arrangement in .: regard to time off,has been in vogue in tho ferry service and tho Cook Strait. and West Coast service. Tho-men asked . that this arrangement bo mado general, i It has been mutually agroed to extend it, to the coastal trade oil, tho, East' Coast: -between Duncdin and Auckland, On this run the vessels-, usually arrive-at a '. port in the morning and leave again : ...tho same evening. -The, new arrangement. will, enablo the men to get time off to. mako up. for tho oxtra hours of duty . thoy may be callcd'on to work. .

It is stated tllat about. 2000 employees ofthe'' shipping companies will bonefit : 'by tho increased pay.,. The; additional" expense, to tlio Union Steairi Ship. Company as regards wages alone'is computed at about £8700 a year,-and other shipowners mil bo-involved in" extra expenditure aggregating ;'about £3300. ,

Sir. W. A.: Kennedy, local manager of tho Union Company, had not-received any official 1 intimation of the.decision of f-ho Union when a representative, of The Dominion called on him. lat-o yesterday afternoon. He- stated that tho question as to whether tho increased cxpondjturo would necessitate raising rates had not yet been considered.

J POSITION IN DUNEDIN, : -' i (bi TELEGi'.irn—rr.isr,:association.)

, >< , Punedln, March 9:, ; 'At' a largely-attended; .meeting 01" the Duncdin branch of the Australasian Federated; Seamen's Union on Saturday night, .the terms arrived atv.with the Marino Conference , at Wellington for a proposed industrial agreement, wero discussed, but no .decision was arrived at, pending-receipt of- the votes' of members afloat. Indications point to tho ,voting being "in favour of the acccptance of tho proposed terms..