RESTAURANT WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 70, 16 December 1919, Page 4

RESTAURANT WORKERS

SEEK INCREASED WAGES AND 48-HOUR WEEK Tlio Conciliation Council sat yesterday to discuss tho demands of tlio Hotel Workers' Union for a now award governing the conditions i.na work and the rates of wages in tearooms end restaurants. The Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) presided, and the,assessors were: For tho union, Messrs. H. O'Malley, A. H. ColRate, and H. Lees. For tho employers: Messrs. B. Doherty, W. A. Grenfell, and G. Russell. Mr. E. Kennedy appeared as a«ent for tho union. Tho easo affects employers and employees within a 25-milo radius of fBo Chief Post Office, Wellington. Tho union's demands have already been published.. Tho counter-proposals of tho omployers were, in the main, tho provisions of tho old award. Mr. O'Malley objected to Mr. Grenfell sitting as an assessor, on the ground that Mr. Grenfell was not in tho trade. Mr. Grenfell said that the appointment of an assessor was entirely in tho hands of the Commissioner; and was not open to objection from ether assessors. The Commissioner said that Mr. Grenfoll's contention was correct. Mr! Grenfoll had formerly been in the trade. A Novel Proposal, Mr. Kennedy made Higjestions regarding tho conduct of the dispute. He said that tho union, tnkip»V advantage 0 f the Act, intended to pbfcc before the council all tho evidence » c proposed to tender in the dispute. Farther, the union asked that where poijds at issue could not be agreed uno> by the assessors, the employers consent to the Commissioner niiving a casting vote. The chairn"Vit*s decision should be subject to appeal by either party to tho Arbitration Court. The acceptance or rejection of these proposals, paid Mr. Kennedy, would provide a test of tho sincerity of what had recently been said by 60 many people regarding tho relations (if employer and employee. Mr. Grenfell contended that there was no real dispute between the union and the employers. Tho union was, of course, entitled to make an iittempt to gain improved conditions,' hut the circumstances did not warrant a change being made. Mr. Colgate snid that there was, on tho contrary, a great deal of dissatisfaction among the employees, and the union officials had been compelled to tnko action. , - •

Conciliator or Arbitrator? Mr. Grenfell replied to Mr. Kennedy's suggestion that the Commissioner should have a vote. He claimed that the Commissioner if he adopted it, would have to abandon the position, of conciliator for that of arbitrator. "I am of opinion that it would not be proper for mo to accept tho position of arbitrator," said Mr. Newton. "I should be usurping the functions of the Judge of the Arbitration Court were I to a,ccept the suggestion that has been made. The proposal that evidenco should be called here is ono for consideration bv the council." Tho calling of evi-' denco was provided for, Mr. Newton added, but he did not think that much would be achieved by l it, since the assessors at the tabio were, presumably, well enough acquainted already with conditions in the trade. Mr. Kennedy: What is you ruling as to the appointment of Mr, Grenfell? The Commissioner: As I read the Act, I have no option, but to appoint Mr. Grenfell as an assessor. The Demands, Mr. Kennedy, addressing himself to tho demands, said that .tho union was one of the few in New Zealand that still had a longer working week than 48 hours. He named half a dozen other countries' in which a similar class of employees to .that comprised by the union had the 48-hour week. Tho union, he said, was Roinrr to be satisfied with nothing else. If the 48-hour week could not bo obtained by agreement With the employers, or through tho Court, Parliament" would grant it, if promises given by politicians in tho present campaign could lw j relied upon. The workers sought to' obtain a living wage. The Arbitration Court hnd said during tho Inst twelvo months that the workers in this country were entitled to 3)d, per hour over tho rato9 set down in their former awards. Ho claimed that' £3 17s. 6d. was a "good guess at what was a fair living wnge." The wage that tho union .asked fov its lowest-paid member was ,A' 3 Gs. fid. per week. "Equal pay for eaual work," whether performed by a man.or by a woman, was another thing that the union claimed. In the last seven years, waitresses' wages had been increased by only Js. Bd. per week. That increase had niado the wages 245. per week. Could a girl liva on that amopnt? Statistics prepared by the union showed that the weekly expenses of a waitress for board, washing, tram journeys, occasional meals, and similar items, left tlio avcraco girl with 2s. 7-jtl per week to dress on. Tho -result of receiving such low wages was that many of the girls wero continually in debt, and were being dunned for time payments on clothing. Tho union asked that the girls should be naid 375. fid per week. Even that amount would leavo them in debt at the end of the vear. Mr. Grenfell. in reply, said that the employers of Wellington were being asked, practically, to legislate for tho rest of the Dominion. Mr. O'Malley: That is not so. No Concession in Matter of Hours.

Mr. Grenfell contended that, in the main, tho increased cost of living fell upon the eitployer, who "had to feed his ueoule." Thero were other charges than those for food, of course, but tho emplover was bearing his share. Tho employers wero not prepared to alter the nresent hours, which wero regulated by the Shops and Offices Act. He questioned the correctness of the figures that Mr. Kennedy had submitted when contendine that waitresses wero not sufficiently well paid. Mr. Kennedy said that if the employers complained of the cost of the food provided for employees, the latter would glaillv accept "dry wages" instead of takine tho food . .. The question of hours was left unsettled. The employers offered double pay for work done on Christmas Day and Good Friday, and pay at the rate of time and ft half for work done on Boxing Day, Easter Monday,_ and tho birthday of the reigning Sovereign, . Mr. Kennedy urged tho claim of tho •union for double pay for work dono on Annan Dav nnd on the King's Birthday. As Mr. Kennedy insisted, (he employers' assessors withdrew their offer. Tho unio'i assessors .said that they would agree to.adopt tho terms of the Wellington country nward if tho employers would concede those terms. It was understood that tho union reserved the right to any "cost of living" bonus that workers bound by the country award mt?ht bo entitled to receive under the recent decision of the Arbitration Court. The emnlovers-' assessors' suggested a number of modifications of the country awn i'd. Mr. O'Ma.lky said that the union was uoinir to insist on the whole award. At this fltneo the case was ad'onrneil till 10 a.m. on Saturday, to enable "the employers to meet and discuss Ihe position.