MEANINGS OP AWARDS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 636, 13 October 1909, Page 9

MEANINGS OP AWARDS

"CHRISTMAS PAT.

K:: ,, ;:: ...-__^__ ;::vV ...., : ,. ADDITIONAL INTERPRETATIONS, :'; /SEVERAL PETITIONS IRREGULAR.' A number of interpretations'of passages in ' 'awards.havo been given by. Mr. Justice Sim. The documents were received yostorday. by' the Clerk of Awards, Wellington. DOES "Syriti'Rß" INCLUDE • SEATOUN'? In regard to' Clause 12 of the Wellington faoneral Labourers Award, which reads: "The preference clauso shall not apply to the'employment of workers engaged at a spot outside the city of Wellington or the suburbs thereof," tho Inspector of Awards asked tho .followine question:' Seeing that Mirnmar is to be treated, as a suburb, and that we now find that beatoun is a part of the Miramar borough, can it: bo. held ."that, under theso circumstances, beatoun is .also to be treated as a suburb f" ■'•;• • The '.Court 'gave, the -following reply—The fact that Seatoun is'included in tho borough pr Miramar has .not brought it any nearer the city of Wellington, and docs, not affect the Interpretation "given in Fobruary, 1908. AN'APPEAL IN DISGUISE. '•■ ■■•; Regarding■ Clauses la, 2,. and 8 of the Wellington , Master Bakers' Awirds, an interpretation; as: follows :-"On. Certain days ess bread is baked than on other days (that I -is,.on tho bilkers get through their work a little bofore knock-off time. Can an employer sot ..off, time'lost in this'wav against .overtime worked on other days or make any doduction ; from the emnlovoes' weekly wages':m-respect thereof?" ' ... - - r 'The Court mado tho following answer to ihe Inspector .of Awards: This oppears to be an ls s tc , m P, f » t r ? W"ff- ?n, appeal from the decision of the. Magistrate's Court in an enforcement case-in the .shape of an application, and tho ,y. ou ™. declines to-entertain it in that form If .the parties are not satisfied with the decision in any particular, they should appeal in : ;tho manner prescribed by law, and not bring what aro .really appeals in tho disguise Of application? for interpretation. v

. ANOTHER FUTILE APPLICATION. of Awards applied for an int erpretaUon- o f,clauses 4a and 40.0f the Wet : -"&« r sr W^i St 3 h ,' s ' Aw which read: -Clause 4a: Wheje drivers, are 1 employed as . drivers, only, the houts of work shall bo 47J ;hours .per. .week,.:'«xclusive'.of .the time 'i re- ' a »« nd ave. to. horses. Clausp 4d Tho hours for all persona .emplowd m driving shall be so arranged as to.enable ' f h £ m . to, have, the statutory half-holidav " The 'Court was. asked: Seeing that the grocers' award:,,iocs, not.,provide any daily limit of hours for grocers' drivers,-are the daily hours; for; such grocers' drivers limited P to r>sioas of the Shops and Offices Act, ■-'■' ?o}|«>wing'; is .tho'ireply of "the' Conrt-. This question, appears:to have been decided by the Magistrate's Court, at Wellington in 'a "vrLlt ; ing under,tho Shops and Offices Act. If Z parhesv are',: hot satisfied. with that decisioh iheir..-proper .courso is. to appeal'to the"Sii'-' preme Court, and .not to.!bring- the rtiatte; before the Arbitration; Court' In'th, shape o an apphcatibn for interpretation. .-■ :; • ',; : :■ •^;;-:;UNipN-MEMBERSHIP.',',: •.' ,V ues tion 3 .be'aring.'on 'Clause "13' of the '&(&■ wre asked bf a! 15 . l ' y il thl! -. l ?r S!> . eotor ? f; .'Awards: "(1) Un the Plasterers'- Union' refuse-- to admit a ■«! S . l i{fl B J'l,i m f ,ber because .he is' not a fully.': ■d ' th* branches .of .the trade, namely,, fixing .fibrous, plaster, tand still be entitled t r ho pliance with Clause 13 of the''award for- a ■member of the union to enter his qualification as . pltistertr/.or must eaoh member defiie the :3 l 'O r -. b rnfl.ehes ; in.,whioh ho.'claims to be profioient, - for example, 'interior' or 'exterior' plasterer, -.'fibrous,plaster .fixer;' etc:?" ■ ■ The replies •df tho: Court were: (l) If he is' a competent workman at any'branch of th'o Plasioring .trade,- as defined, by the award, tho -union, would not be justified in refusing to ac'-' |.cept.him. as;-a member;:(2):a'W6rk'er,- when' pntering, his.name'..iH,,th«'employment:.-book.' «,?*^ S '/ t *- hc i.. d ? S( l Il P tion '' :o,th6 of ~tho trade in which, he.claims-to-be proficient'in; the .manner, indicated, in iho question. . «' ■-' '."•'- '••; AN/, OMNION; ■'• REFUSED. ':■ v; ; nf T A r^ f )l 10 < tiol1 I w MS/%iA.te,the:Inspector. of A wards,, in. regardio'cTdte^'of tho Weiington. Lottet-nress Machinists (town) Award-' •f*if^ nt,-Ce3 ' s " an M indentured for a "itl \* ?V r^ rB -.--A l iy.%« nl Pt<'yer-.r,bafore tak- . ng;an apprentice, shall be entitled to employ. ;threo.months, antf if. -at.the end/of slich. throe - months'; he becomes a bound appren ice,.such .period" shall bVin. eluded as part o£ tho period of' apprbiticesh p/ •^^A'.'^V^^l.^Wv-hs-Js^.bpu'nd'.'to' » Thp/querieslworeV (1) Can Vhb''has not.previously worked at the trade bo inden:tured for a less .period than'six: years? ■'- If 'h?Lr?» V Can enVploye . :^ n f^ a V p P reati ? 6 for «s years and back-' 'tW "ii' 6 ' M dent , U ' l ' e ' for -'.Sly- three years, so *Fth. 1' fM :i ™<> - 9 «"d -by the apprentice -at_ the trado.js only'three. years? and (3) in the.even of its be% a breach of award to -o ' ,nd? n iuro; a- youth, then must the causo tL fn^nh C9nS i dor ? d a 5 "risen: when »I'di fltu ?;r was 6 '2 ncci ' or-can. it be cori""erod a .coMlnuous -breach until • the nppren: ,tico period has terminated?: ■ : <-. ■ rhe .Court replied in.the following terms:I hero appears .. to •- be a. d spute between 'tU pari.es;-«. £. ..the ;f acts of the To "vh eh the application,refers.. Until the parties'agre" Tbih? fe »" d P«t.:in a-.clear statement of -

■;y, NAHER',TEST: .CASE SUGGESTED!" ; - '*£$ i| )pP} i - < 'ftioii j -haci - .been niade' by. the 'Inspector'of Awards for interpretation I of. Clause lt«- t Naper -Wharf Labourers' and • Steve! til „ A » " d i -'? he ■ clau r . oilds -"All labour o be engaged at.some definite place or 1 places : to ned from\'time'.to . time by th! secretary,.of, tho;union ;and tho. eniployer. 6? e „,S'?i? r M cjnccrnoduomtly;: with :.tlhe secre.: lf% ? t ,:-.J 10 a P'«r..Harbour..Board, provided that- in the' i eyent,.of ; ; nny .exceptional circum-.s^ances-arising.-^onrniay'-Ijo engaged else-'

■V-'A ■;quoßtion.;ffoa : put t6-tho Court: ; An emPloyer. having, requested a member of the union to - go; to ...the> agreed.. place for '■ engagement, oi ? v e ?S n e» a gang of .men on his.-behaf. and,- having thus-appointed,his (the omp oyer's): agent for tho purpose of enfiS ln , g: i. ?b - OU V ".'the-Tnombeof thS.union en. titled-.to include, himself in the-gang, so oh/ Ba ,f,? d \^' ;th 1 ° P ro -P! nce ' °f engagement?.' ' iho Court rephod as follows :-Tho point seomsto : have been decided by the Magistrate's •«inf'ii, n " d i* '•■• the ,PF tle 3were not satisfied, ?W-. :K decision, they' should have -appealed' :from.it. If .they..wish to obtain a deoisidh ofthis Court ■ on: tho subject,Uhey should have-a .tost: case brought by, the, inspector,' ." , -;

:::;;OVERTIME;ATFREEZINQ.WORKS. I■ .:lli' ; ,bf'■':' Bay. 'Freeiing Wo l } s : ' Aw "<l,wAs '.referred, by Jho Inspeito? of Awards. to.tho.Courti'.'Except; in thecase' ot those ,who',aro working 0 n piece rates; and in. other. specia.l. cases hereinafter' mentioned .the .ordmai7;;hours'. ; of. work shall, not exceed eight hours -in .any. one day .of twenty-four hours,, reckoning from 6 .a.m. to 6 p.m., and all time'worked beyond eight hours-per day shall be xonsiderod overtinle, and shall.be paid for at the rate of time and, a quarter. Eflch. day ;*h*ir stand,. > Th? starting43S shall .-be. regulated from .time to ,time-bv the 'employer.".: r ; ',-h - '■ ■,;;./'-. i • The inspector asked i: Must eight - hours be worked before overtime can be olainied, or can overtime be claimed-for work performed after 6 p.ni.,.irrespective- 'of whether, eight hours' have been: worked between 6 a.m. and 6 t>m', or hot?,: - 1 ' , .':,.:'•:,•,; '.'■■■■ i. .. :. ."■'

-V^Tho:'Court.,..tendered ;tho .following answerA.worker is not entitled,to be.paid overtime juntil he has worked more than eight hours in anyone day.of ;twenty-four,hours.- The day is .reckoned as cdmmonciiig: either at G a.m or 6 p.m.,. according to the hour at'. which ■ tho worker starts work. Thus.'.if a worker starts Work at, i p.mr on one day, tho day for hia :case started atO a.m. of that day, and the twenty-four hours will noCexpire until C a.m of the next,day; He is, therefore, riot entitled to overtime until he- has worked more than eight, hours, in that, interval..':'. :.

: The meaning of, Clause 3c of the same award was■ also' in doubt: "Subject to the special, provisions heroinbeforo all 'work done on' Sunday, Christmas Bay, or Good iFriday shall be paid for at the rote'of double time. All work dono on,any of the holidays horoinbeforo mentioned (except Christmas Day and Good l'riday) shall bo paid for at tho rate of timoiand a quarter." ■■■.■■..' .'Tho question submitted for the Court's consideration :was: Must pullers bo paid double rates for work performed on Cliristmns* Day ? . Pullers are entitled, the Court decided to .bo paid double; rates for work dorte on Sundays, Christmas Day, or Good Friday. ■"■■ -