ELECTRICAL LINESMEN

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1203, 11 August 1911, Page 6

ELECTRICAL LINESMEN

„ o- — RATES OF PAY. THE CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION. The Tramways Committee of the City Council reported .last evening • that they had had several conferences with the Electrical Workers' Unkul, with respect to the union's demands in connection with tlie'linesra'cn.employed by the council, and had to■ recommend as follows:— Hours.'of-Labour.—Forty-five hours per week as at present (this in accordance with union's demand). . ' j Wages.-rThe minimum rate. of pay for linesmen to bo Is. 3d. per hour, as at present (the union asked Is. Gd. per hour). The miniinuni rate of pay for'linesmen's assistants Rind labourers to be Is. ljd. per hour, as at present. (The union asked that the wages of linesmen's assistants bo as per'the following sliding scale:— First year, Is. 2d. per hour; second year, Is. 3d. per hour; third year, Is. W. per , hour.) Overtime.—Time and a quarter for first two hours,' and time and a half thereafter, as; at present. (The union asked that all time worked in excess of ordinary working hours should bo paid for at time- and a half rutes up to.lo p.m., and at double timo rates between 10 p.m. and 7.30 a.m. next nioruing.) Holidays.—After twelve months' continuous service,; full rate,of pay to be granted to employees for all statutory holidays, and, in addition, ordinary rate of pay for all time worked on such days, as «t present. (The union asked for double time, and specified the following holidays:—New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day. Christmas Day, and, tho"birthday of the reigning Sovereign.) Preference. —In the event of- an agreement being arrived at on the basis of tho above recommendations, then a preference clause similar to that. in the last agreement with the Tramways Union to ba incorporated in such agreement. If above proposal were rejected, then a preference clause similar to that in tho recent Carpenters' Award to be recommended. (There was, practically no difference of opinion between the Committee and the union in regard to this clause.) . Sunday Work.— Sunday work to bo paid for, at time and . a half rates, as at present. (The union asked that double time be paid for Snndav work.) Councillor Shirtcliffe moved the adoption of the ropirr. This was seconded.

Councillor Himlniarsh did not consider theproposa.l a fair one. If the wholo of tho'concessions asked for by tho men had been agreed to, it would only have involved a sum of .£209 12s.' a year to the City Council. Therefore ho thought some increase, 'could be . made. The argument against the rise was not that tho men did not deserve the increase, but that it would bo paying them more than was allowed in similar private businesses m tho city. Ho moved that the report lv> referred again to the committee. The only active concession made was in regard to preference, and that, really, wns no concession, because men rarely loft, and there was practicatly no promotion. Councillor M'Laren seconded the amendment. Ho said the matter , was coming before the.Conciliation Council on August 22, and probably, if the report were sent back to the committee, some agreement would be come to. Councillor Trevor said they were already •' paying twopence more per hour than the minimum, and that surely was an export rate. lie supported tho resolution. ■ The amendment was rejected, and tho report adopted. The ' council appointed Messrs. S. Richardson, Sl.' Cable, and G. Lauchhn to represent it and support tho above, proposals in the impending Conciliation Council case with the.electrical workers.