LABOURERS' CLAIMS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1076, 15 March 1911, Page 8

LABOURERS' CLAIMS.

• CITY EMPLOYEES. FRUITLESS, TALK AT THE TOWN HALL. PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ? The! conference between delegates of the City- Council and representatives of tho General Labourers' Union, which was arranged for last evening, had only a short sitting, ? and broke up without dealing with any of tho • matters for which it was called. The question of publicity or privacy was the rock upon which the assembly split. To discuss the demands of' the union.for higher wages and other concessions for corporation labourers was the object of tho meeting, which was held in one of the municipal committee rooms. Tho City Council was represented by tho Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.),and Councillors M'Laren, M.P., Atkinson, and Trevor. Tho union delegates Messrs. M.. J. Rcardon (secretary), F. O'Keefe, F. Stott, and J. Law. Mr. AW H. Morton (city engineer) was also present. Representatives of the press were m attendance.

Mr. Reardon raised the question of the admission of reporters.

Union Objects to Publicity. , The:. Mayor said tho council delegates Wished the press to bo present.

Mr.- Reardon: We decidedly object to tho press being here. Tho Mayor: Why?

Mr. Reardon: AVc are not an advertising agency.' We are' here to :do 'business, and there are many things to bo dealt with that should not be 'discussed in public. , The men who sent ■us hero arc -not prepared' to be made an exhibition, of-in tne public press.

The Mayor's View. " The _ Mayor r AVo think that, as 3very increase of wages has to bo- paid '.'or by the public, •'• and as we are trustees for them, all tho arguments should' be before them, and in the event : of tho' committee reporting to the conncil as to what it should do, it willbe impossible for the committee to put'before the council all that is said here,. and, besides, members of the committee may. differ as to what is said. This is_ exactly similar to the Tramways Conference. Tho public have .to pay, and they should know the city's side and the financial position. Thoy should bo cognisant, just as well as you, of what is going on. We are of opinion that the matter should be public.

Compromise Suggested. Councillor Atkinson suggested that in order to meet tho objection expressed by Mr. Reardon, the general proceedings might be public, and tho conference could go into committee to discuss any particular aspects of the caso or any details concerning which some delicacy might be felt.' .■'''"■ ' \

The; Mayor: If any .particular '" employee is named the press would; I am sure, leave the name out. I don't for a moment imagine that tho press would, publish that.

Councillor M'Laren: You know my views, Mr. Mayor. I think better work is'done in committee, than in public.

Councillor Trevor: I can't see that there is anything to hide. .Why should there be? '

"Not Prepared to Co On." Mr. Reardon: There was not very much business done the last time the press was present at a conference of this.kind.

The Mayor We think a good deal was done. Now, I, for instance, want to call on tho engineer to make certain statements, and those statements ought to bo given publicity. Mr. Rearclou: I understand you to say that you are going to rely on tho press for reports of what was said on disputed points, but I see you have here your own shorthand reporter, who is quite able to record all that is said. I was not awaro that the council takes its information from the press. The Mayor: But we want to give it to tho public.

Mr. ■ Keardon:. Then I am not prepared to go on. The Mayor: We have carried a resolution, and we shall have to stand by it. I regret this very much indeed. Mr. M'Laren said ho was sorry the meeting could not come to a mutual understanding, as he believed in differences being settled by conferences.

■Tho Mayor said'ho did not believe publicity would -interfere with giving the union-delegates a fair hearing, and coming to a fair decision on their case.

Mr..Reardon: /We don't propose to 50 on with it.

The Mayor: Well, I'm sorry. r don't Bee anyway out of it.

No Sat Speeches. Mr. Reardon: I think this course is without precedent, and I have been in ono or two conferences of this sort. I think_ the thing's absurd. A conference is more in the nature of a conversation than a moating that, can he z mado public. We are not hero, with set speeches or arguments. It is not fair to take four amateurs and have us played off in tho press against men who arc practised speakers. The Mayor: I think that is hardly the spirit in which you should meet us. I am prepared to help you put your case ..in every way. I don't want to make fine speeches. Mr. Keardon: The committee can make a report to the council, and have it discussed there. The Mayor: But if the committee can't come to a decision, the whole of the council should know why. Mr. Stott: I have had much experience of similar conferences, and this is the first occasion on which I remember the press being present. This, will not be a final conference so far as we are concerned, because our executive will have the finil decision.

The Public's Rights. The Mayor: This is tho only say you will have'that the council will have the opportunity of hearing. You won't como before the council as a whole. Why not have your views "put plainly in public, showing why you ask for these things? I am perfectly certain that you can put your case quite well, and that it can be reported well. We are here in a spirit to meet you, but we think the public have fi right to blow on what ground you ask for aigher wages from their concern. It is lot a private company. It is not a business Wc aro iiere simply as trustees. Mr. Stott: Tho council will be guided to a great cxtont by your report. The Mayor: Wo think they ought to have your claims as you state them, and we offer you hero an opportunity. At this point the discussion distinctly flagged. Then Mr. .Law, breaking a Ehort'pausc, urged the Mayor to give tray. -The union delegates had come there expecting tc have a sort of committee meeting for conversation with the councillors. Mr. Reardon: Are committees usually Tcported ? ' Tho Mayor: It is optional. The committees decide that for themselves. The Hine Committee, for instance, was thrown open to the press. «You are asking us to do something affecting the'

finances of the council which every citizen has a right to know about.

About "Fireworks." Mr. Reardon: There is nothing to be done hero that will not be reported to the council. It is not fair to bring us four men here and have two lawyers and two other men playing off "fireworks" against us and making us the byvword of the whole city.

Tho Mayor: Those who read what has been said to-night will be able to judge whether that remark is justified.

Mr.. Rcardon: There are two men who have come hero to toll what they have to do day in and day out in trying to live on Bs. a day. Aro thoy to exposo tho ,inner workings of . their homes to the public and tho struggles thoy have to make both ends meet? ; Tho Mayor: Now, you aro talking "fireworks." ' •' "

Mr. Reardon: It is grossly unfair. Councillor M'Laren asked.whether.the union had discussed the questionof admitting tho press to the conference. . : Mr. Reardon said they had had no idea that tho meeting would be open to the press. . Final Refusal. Councillor Atkinson again pressed his suggestion that the conference should go into committee for.any special matters of a private nature.

Mr. Rcardon: It is all committee work. ' The Mayor: Well, you decline.to put your case in public? Mr. Reardon: Yes, Mr. Mayor. Tho Mayor (rising):'! regret it. The meeting then dispersed. Tho Mayor and Mr. Rcardon,' when separately approached afterwards, both declined to go into the merits of the dispute for purposes of publication.

THE UNION'S DEMANDS. FULL TEXT." The following is the text of the draft agreement as submitted by the union to bo made under the Arbitration Act between tho City Corporation and the Wellington General Labourers' Industrial Union of Workers.: —

, ; ...!'. Hours of Work, ' The week's work shall not exceed 44 hours, and shall'not exceed,B hours on 5 days of the week, aiid 4 hours on Saturday. Working hours" to Do between the hours of 7 a.m. and •5 p.m. on 5 days of the week, and between the hours of 7 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturday.

_ When it is necessary to prepare material for work before tho ordinary hours for commencing work; the employer may employ .'workers;^ o do such necessary work for not \ more than half an hour before that' time, at the ordinary rato of pay. In tunnel work tho hours shall not exceed eight per shift, from.bank to bank, with half an hour for crib-time.

Six hours shall constitute ' a day's work, when workers are working in wet places or in foul air, and shall be paid for as if the workers had worked eight hours. . A "wet placo". shall mean a place where,the worker.has to stand in not less than two inches of water, or whoro water, ■ other than rain, is dripping on him.

Wages. The following shall he the minimum rates of wages to bo paid to the several classes of workers respectively:— Tunnel men and timber men; 12s. per shift; all other workers employed underground, 12s. per shift; men engajred in sinking shafts, 12s. per shift; poivder men, hammer and drill men, jumper men, labourers engaged in drainage, sewerage, gardening, and all other classes of labouring work not hereinbefore specified, Is. 3d. per hour. Overtime, - - • All time worked beyond the hotrs 'hereinbefore, mentioned shall bo considered overtime, and shall be paid for at the rate of timo and a half for the first two hours, and thereafter at the rate of double time. Holidays. The following shall be tho recognised holidays:—New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, tho birthday of the Sovereign, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. . These shall be paid for as if the worker had worked eight hours. • ' ' , Work done on any of the above-named holidays or on Sunday shall be paid for at the rato oE double time. Suburban Work.

Workers employed' shall be at the place where the work is to bo performed at the hour appointed for the commencement of work, but if such place is distant more than ono mile from the Chief Post Office, workers employed thereon shall be allowed and paid for time .reasonably occupied by them in walking to and from such .work beyond the one mile,: or they shall 'be conveyed to and from such work at :tho cost of their employers. All time walked shall ho allowed for at the rate of three miles per hour.

All tools shall be supplied by the employer. .-,.'. V

Preference. Tho employer when engaging any labourer shall ascertain! whether such labourer is a member of the Workers' "Union, and if not his engagement shall be subject to his becoming -a member. All labourers at' present, working for any employer, and -who ■ aro not members of tho General Labourers' Union, shall become'members within two weeks from the time of this agreement coming into operation. Tho secretary of the Workers'. Union to notify employers when any. man becomes unfinancial. Any employer shall place no obstacle in the way of any representatives of the Workers' Union in the collection of moneys due, provided such collection is not made during working hours. Immediately after, an employer recems notice that an employee hasibecome unfinancial he shall dismiss such wovW from his employ, unless the.-. Worker shail pay up all arrears of subscription forthwith. - . ' '.V All wages shall be paid weekly and in the employers' time.