DISPUTE SETTLED

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 70, 15 December 1932, Page 10

DISPUTE SETTLED

Linesmen & Employers Agree OPERATIVE FOR YEAR With slight modifications of the original proposals, a complete agreement has been reached in Conciliation Council in the dispute between the Wellington City Corporation and the linesmen and linesmen’s assistants. The council sat on .Monday last, but an adjournment was granted on the application of the union in order that the employers’ proposals might be. submitted to its members. The employers’ assessors were Messrs. G. Lauchlan, Russell, and W. Good, and the assessors for the workers were Messrs. J. Perkins, S. Gray, and E. Hindmarsh. Mr. Mountjoy was advocate for the employers, and Mr. Swindell for the union. The proceedings were held in committee, but it is announced that when the adjournment was taken the employers’ offer of wages was 1/10$ for linesmen, and 1/7} for linesmen’s assistants. The employers offered a 45hour week, with 81 hours five days a week, and 3} hours on one day a week, to be worked between 7.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. The employers asked for a new clause covering trouble and emergency men, the hours to be varied, and worked between 8 a.m. and midnight, with a limit of 81 hours per day. The employers asked that overtime should be paid for at . the rate of time and a half. The union sought overtime at time and a half for the first three hours, thereafter double time. In regard to suburban work, the employers asked that the clause in the award lie amended from two tramway sections to two and a half miles. A complete agreement was reached. The hours were made 45 a week. A new clause was inserted covering trouble and emergency men, permitting them to be worked between 8 a.m. and 12 midnight, with a limit of 8j hours per day, the number of trouble and emergency men not to exceed six. Wages were fixed at 1/10} pei’ hour for linesmen, and 1/84 for linesmen s assistants. Overtime rates were fixed at time and a half. Holidays remain as under the previous award. In regard to suburban work, an alteration was made by substituting two miles from the Town Hall for two tramway sections. The other clauses in the award were accepted without alteration. . A When the agreement was submitted to the union members’ secret ballot last night it was accepted. It is to be made into an industrial award, and will operate from January 4, 1933, to January 3. 1934.