CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 12, 9 October 1917, Page 3

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

BOILERMAKERS' DISPUTE. The hearing of the boilermakers' dispute was opened before Mr. W. H. Hagger, Conciliation Commissioner, yesterday morning. The assessors for the employers were Messrs. A. C. Mitchell. M. E. Stonebanks, and W. Crabtree. The union assessors were Messrs. P. Brown, J. M'Namara, and P. E. Warner. Mr. H...P. Allen was ngent far the employers, and Mr. W. A. Grenfell appeared for certain individual employers. The Union Steam Ship Company was struck off the list of parties to the dispute, and exemption was granted tho Wellington City Corporation and the Wellington Harbour Board. Hatrick and Co., Wanganui, sought exemption, but it was not granted them. The claims of the union inoluded the following:—Forty-four , hours' work per week (now 47 hours); minimum wage, 2s. per. hour (now Is. 4Jd.)i and Is. per day extra for boilermakers working with acetone gas or air machines; overtime, ! double rates through the night; all- i night shifts to be at overtime rates, and i meals to T>e provided by employers for i men on such shifts; thirteen holidays per j year (six at present); apprentices' wages j to be 20s. per week in the first year, and [ 555. per week in the fifth year (now 10s. and 355.); one apprentice to three iourneynien (now one' to two); an additional 2s. 6d. per week to be paid to apprentices in the last two years if Grade 1 \ certificate in mechanical engineering is t obtained: apprentices not to work over- j time before the fourth year of their em- i ployment; apprentices to attend technical ' school classes, two nights per week. ( The employers submitted counter-pro- | posals Which, in the main, were on the | lines of the old award. % An agreement had not been arrivedat when the council rose, and consideration of the matters in dispute will be con- , tinned to-morrow. It is understood that the employers have made an offer of an advance in wages, and that offer will be considered by the union's representatives before the council resumes.