CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 57, 30 November 1917, Page 3

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

DISPUTES PENDING. Applications to the Conciliation Council to hear disputes have been filed by the Wellington Plasterers' Union and the Wellington Timber Yards and Sawmill Workors' Union.

The Plasterers' Union demands that forty-eight hours sliall constitute au ordinary week's work, eight hours to be worked on five days of each week between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and four hours to be worked on Saturdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 noon. The wages asked for aTe: —Journeymen plasterers, not less than Is. lOid. per hour; foremen plasterers, not less than 2s. per day extra; apprentices, 12s. 6d. per- week for first year, 17s. 6d. for second year, £1 ss. for third year, £1 16s. for fourth year, £2 2s. 6d. for fifth year. The union asks that when four or more plasterers are working on the same job, one shall be recognised as foreman. The term "journeyman plasterer" is defined as meaning a worker who has for five years been employed continuously, in the trade as an apprentice, and who by such training has become a competent worker.

The union asks that the award shall apply to employers within a radius of 100 miles from the G.P.0., Wellington.

Tho timber workers demand that their hours of work shall not exceed 44 hours in any week. The wages asked for are:—First-class machinist, 13s. per day; second-class machinist, 12a. per day; band sawyer, 13s. per day; first sawyer, 13s. per day; Becond sawyer, 12s. per day; tailer-out, 11s. per day; boxmakers, 11s. per day; coopers, 12a. per clay; wood-turners, 13s. per day; head yardman, £4 per week; yardman, 12s."per day; yaid labourers, 11s. per day; casual labourers, Is. Bd. per hour. The following clause appears:—"lf by reason of broken time any worker shall earn less than £3 in any one week, he shall be paid an additional amount, equal to 10 per cent, on tlie amount so earned. This shall have effect only for the duration of the war and for three months after."

The iinkm consents to the employment of youths at not loss than the following rates of wages per week:— Youths of 16 to 17 years, 17s. 6d.; of 17 to 18, £1 2s. 6d.; or 18 to 19, £17s. 6c1.; of 19 to '20, £1 12s.- 6d.; of 20 to 21, £1 17s. 6d". The award, it is _ suggested, shall apply to employers within a radius of 2o miles from the G.P.0., Wellington. The employers, in reply to the timber workers' demands, propose that the terms and conditions of the present award he renewed for a further period, and that a war bonus of 5 per cent, on the old rates be paid for the duration of Uio war and /or three months after.