UNDER WRONG AWARD

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 291, 4 September 1931, Page 8

UNDER WRONG AWARD

Salvation Army Hostel BOARDERS, PAYING & FREE Owing to the depression the Salvation Army has been providing a considerable amount of food and shelter for unemployed at the Working Men’s Hostel, where there are also about 30 boarders on the tariff, requiring a staff which has to work under an award. When an application was made to the Arbitration Court yesterday for exemption from the award, it was found that the hostel employees were working under the tearooms and restaurants’ award, instead of the private hotels’ award, and that in consequence the Salvation Army authorities hud been paying a higher rate of wages than they should have been called upon to pay. The difference was 2/6 a week. Mr. Justice Frazer, president of the court, said there was no question that the employees were under the wrong award, and they would be struck out of it. They should have been under the private hotels’ awnrd.

Brigadier D. Macaulay, for the Salvation Army, said the institution was originally the Soldiers’ Hostel, but gradually became the Working Men’s Hostel. It filled the breach between the shelter and the People’s Palace, so that working men could get board and lodging at a cheaper rate. When the depression began the Salvation Army started to provide a great number of free meals and shelter until last year the expenditure exceeded revenut by nearly £2OOO. There were about 30 boarders paying the tariff. During the winter the Army had provided ovet 3000 free beds and about 24,000 free meals, and under those conditions could not carry on under the award. The possibility was discussed of reducing the tariff and putting the hostel on the same basis as the Y.M.C.A., when it would be excluded from the award. Otherwise, it was stated, it would be a matter of compromising with the union as to the number of employees who should come under the award.

Brigadier Macaulay said it was proposed to carry on the shelter part of the work while the depression lasted. Mr. H. J. Colgate, for the workers, said he would make application for them to be brought under the private hotels’ award. , His Honour, in striking the hostel out of the tearooms and restaurants’ award, said the union and the Army authorities could discuss the matter. If a change were made to a shelter and partly -on the lines of the Y.M.C.A., the Army would be entitled to exemption. Otherwise application could be made under the private hotels’ award, and would come before the Conciliation Council next month.