CATERING TRADE AWARD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1074, 13 March 1911, Page 4

CATERING TRADE AWARD.

PREFERENCE EXTENDED TO WAITRESSES. Tho Arbitration Court bas issued it« award in the dispute between tho Wellington. Caoks' and Waiters' Union and tho private hotel »ccpc*s, oyster saloon, restaurant, and tea-room proprietors, which was heard last week. The award, which makes only slight changes in the existing rates ot wages, is based for tho most part on tho award made in 1907. The principal' points of difference (as summarised in a memorandum by the Court) are:— "(a) Tho provisions witn regard to hours of work and overtime have boon, omitted, as these subjects, and that of holidays also, aro dealt with in tho bhops and Oiiices Amendment Act, 1910. "(b) Tho employment of probationers as waitresses is authorised in restaurants, tea-rooms, and oyster saloons, as well as in private hotels. "(c) The preference clause extends now to female workers. Since the award waa made, in 1907, tho union has altered its rules, so as to reduce the entrance fee and subscription for females, and so as to provide for separate meetings of femalo members of the union. In the other centres, with tho consent of tho employers, preference has been extended to female workers, and appears to bo working satisfactorily. In these circumstances, tho Court feels justified in extending the operation of the proferenco clause to females in Wellington. Tho union asked for preference in tho form in which it was granted in the Hawke's Bay Tailorcsses' Award, but tho Court has not, at any time, granted proferenco in such a form,.savo with tho consent of ■jv!! tho employers concerned. "It was contended, on behalf of tho keepers of private hotels, that they should not bo made parties to any award, and reliance was placed on. the judgment of this Court in tho Christchnrch case. Tho circumstauccs of tho present ease aro different, however, from those of tho Christchurcb case. In Christchnrch the only award in force related to licensed hotels. In Wellington tho proprietors of a number of privato'hotcls were included, without objection, in tho award mode in 1907. Tho private hotel proprietors bound bv the award now made aro either original parties to the award of 1907 or havo been treated as bound by it, ai!<l havo been working under its provisions. All that the Court has now done, is to continue tho existing state of i affair?, Tho award now made, so far as it relates to private lintels, is limited to the parties named as proprietors of private hotels. It is not intended to operate as an award dealing gouerallv with tho business carried on bv keepers of private hotels, nnd tho provisions of Sub-Section (.1) of Sec lion 90 of tho Industrial Conciliation and. Arbitration Act, 1908, will not apply to this award." Tho award applies only to Wellington and suburbs. It comos into force on March 27, 1911, and will remain in fore* for two years.