WASRARAPA DROVERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 192, 8 May 1908, Page 2

WASRARAPA DROVERS' UNION.

\ • * ' • • '■ — e CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES. THE UNION'S DEMANDS A meeting of interest to formers and live stock agencies was held in Masterton yesterday aftornoonj writes our Wairarapa correspondent, to consider the ■ demands of the newly-formed Wairarapa Drovers' and. Shepherds' Industrial Jtiion of Workers. •Mr. J. B. Moodie;' Wairarapa'manages- for Messrs. Dalgety and Company, presided, and there were also present, on the part of tlio omployers, Messrs.. W. M'Kenzie (representing tfle Wellington Meat Export Company), Dalrymple (Gear Company), J. Reside. Carey (New Zealand Loan and Mercailtile Agency Company), 0. C. Cooper (Abraham' arid Williams), G. C. Summerill (Levin and Company).. Mr, Pownall attended in the interests of the employers. . The Union was represented - by.. Messrs. Thompson,.' Hill, Irvine, Welch, Willoughby, and' its solicitor, Mr. Jackson. THE MEN'S DEMANDS. The Union asks for an agreement for .a term of one year from the date of signature. - In the preamble tho term "ordinary drove" is defined as a drove of not pioro than 700 sheep, 80 store cattle, or 50 fat cattle, and "drover" as a shepherd or any othef person employed as a drover or actually engaged in the work of droving, whether such shepherd or person be in regular or casual employment.. No single. drover shall be required or obliged under a contract to t-ake.chargo with- . out an assistant drover,Of drovers, of ,more than'an ordinary drove., 1 v. i The work of a drover under a contract shall be'deemed to commence at. the time when ho begins his journey, to the place at which he is to take charge of the 'stock', to' be driven, and to continue and terminate when l'e -shall have ,returned to his home after delivering such 'stock (save losses); .Provided-, thatj.no drover shall be required to travel under' a contract, without stock, a'greater distance than 35 miles in one day, or -to the. nearest' hotel .or accommodation house to that limit. ~-' , vProvided, also, that when stock in one. day sbp.ll be' required to be'-trucked, the drover shall riot be required to journey a greater distanco than 10 miles, or to the nearest accommodation house to that: limit. ; • The wages payable to . each drover under a ; contract shall bo such sum per day as shall bo "agreed upon, or when not A agreed upon ;'such sum per day, as the services rendered shall be reasonably worth, but in neitlleir case shall be loss than £1 Is. 6d. per day or fraction of,-a day, for an ordinary drove. All wages payable hereunder slfall be inclusive of air tho personal expenses of a drover .in ' respect ■of himself,'his horses and dogs whilst in the performance of a contract. '_ " • ''• ' Provided that where the number of stock to be driven shall exceed the number of ,t'n ordinary drove-and tho' omployer has not appointed an assistant drover or drovers, the drover under' the contract shall be deemed to be the agent and to have the authority of-' the employer to employ an assistant drorer or drovers,'and to agree with him or them as to the amount of his or their wages •not being less than the aiiiount above specified. , ' -, Provided further that where an employer employs; a shepherd or other, person in . his him to. do . maj;_ deduct „froin tho \Vil{. represent pft^prfcipn' of'tho weeidy of ' otherwage', otherwise" payable ..to!such shepherd ,or person for the tiiao cluring>hich ho shall be-employed as drover and bo.receiV.ingj"or entitled ;t6-receive, drovers'--:wagesi '. Employers' shall. emplSy members r of the t'nion in -preference to' non-rtiembors,: provided there be, members available, competent;' sufficiently equipped, and' ready and willing to imdertake and _do tho work required to be done. Tho Union shall keep at each of its registered offices :Or ■ other'-, convenient plhce or-places an .engagement book or books ill which employers iiiay - notify particulars' of their requirements- and the number of stock to be'driven, arid dfov'ers may notify that' they hro or will be available oil dates to' be therein mentioned; -.. The secretary of tho Union! shall as far as possible assist both employers and dr6vers in making contracts but no liability shall attach to the Union ,or..secretary' for" ahy fkilufO iri,this respect;: - .j Provided alwaVs that; an employer shall . 1)6 at liberty to employ ahy member of the, Ufiiorii whose serviced are "of. will be aVail?, able,, .arid . shall 1 ' riot be; boimd- '.to oftiploy meiribers in turn, or by rotation; or in any ■ particular order. • ■ Provided, further, that any drover who shall omit to enter his'jiame. in the engagement book shall not, during such omission, be , entitled- to the preference, of employment provided for ,by this: clause. ■' 1 . -' This agreement shall operate between tho parties hereto, arid as' between tho Unidn. alid any persons, firriis, coihpanics and corporations who,' under the provisions of Act', becomo subsequent parties thereto in-' the ■ counties . of l f eatherston, ■ Wairarapa South', Mastertoii; Castle Point, Akitio, Mauriceville, .Ekotahuna,- , l'ahiatua,: Waipawa, arid all boroughs wholly or partly sur- • founded by sucli comities or any of tlienr, arid also'ih the cases of a drover being empl&yod. for the driving of stock from..any jilaeo WifclioUt,; to any placo within, and from any place 'within, to any place without, the aforesaid limits. . ' ,' i Ail employer shall supply'tho drover, on taking charge of stock under a.;contract, With sufficient riioney to cover all expenses incurred by drover iri paddocking, foddering, watering,'and tending such stock on a', journey. •;'All wages arid other expenses riot covered as aforesaid shall, if paid by the dfover,' becorite duo arid repayable respectively immediately .after, the, termination of the work'Ulider a'cbiit'ract, and shall be. paid;in. cish or with the drover's confieili by an uncrossed cheque .within ono week thereafter. ', V No drover shall inclir any hotel' or, other accommodation expenses . for himself, his horses, his .dogs, for, of. on account, in the name or ori the credit of his employer., Nothing herein 'contained, shall import any \varraiity ib.? 'of on behalf of the Union against ariy loss or dariiage of, of to, stofik, by any drover, arid the Union and the property and .funds .thereof' shall .riot! be', liable to make good to any eiriployer any such loss' or. damage. , C Nothing 'herein Coittamcd shall preclude, the making' of other industrial, agreements between: tlio' parties hereto, or ariy Of them, concerning matters not comprised herein, not exclude any established general or 1 local custom of usage not incorisistent, herewith from tacit inclusion in any contract. THE DISCUSSION." The cmployors stated that they would have nothing to do with tho proposed agreement, or with any Union, unless compelled'to do so by an award. They were, however, prepared to meet the drovers privately,, and discuss tenris with them. _ ' The representatives of tho Union declined to recedo'froin their, demands as embodied bytho Uniori, and they stated that they would probably take the matter to the Arbitration Court) if tho employers hold to their present positiori of. llori'fecognitiOn of, tho Union. , . Tho employers thereupon passed.a resolution'to the effect that they would inly carry on further negotiations if tlie Union cancelled its registration.. It is very unlikely that this will bo done, but the drovers are to hold a meeting on Saturday, May 15, tp como.to a final decision of tho business.