ENGINEERS' AND TINSMITHS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 58, 1 December 1917, Page 11

ENGINEERS' AND TINSMITHS' DISPUTE

INCREASED COST OF MATERIALS. Bj Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, November 30. Tlie engineers' dispute was considered by the Arbitration Court to-day, when the Amalgamated Society sought to comploto a new award, including a 44-hour week, Is. lid. an hour for fitters and engineers, 2s. for patternmakers, and generous conditions for the technical instruction of apprentices. The union preferred a flat rate to an uncertain war bonus. Evidence was given by an ironmaster that the union had placed an embargo on overtime, this lasting from February to yesterday morning, thus causing loss, inconvenience, and division of trade; thoy opposed proforonoo clauses. • Decision was reserved.

Regarding the Tinsmiths' Union, which sought Is. Cd. an hour and 2d. war bonus, decision was reserved. The ironmasters contended that tho purchasing power of the sovereign had depreciated to a greater extent to' them than to workmen. The cost of bar iron had increased 188 per cent., steel bars 275 per cent., boiler plates 711 per cent., pig-iron 180 per cent., copper sheots 119 per cent., tinplates 207 por cent, zino 200 per cent., aluminium 122 per cent., tool steel 733 per cent., twist drills 251 per cent., holts 119 per cent., wire-rope 7C9 per cent., lubricant 147 per cent., petrol 92 per cent., railway rates 22.y por cent., coke 51 por cent., steam coal 37 per cent., white load 233 per cont., and freights 800 per cent.