MUNICIPAL WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 261, 31 July 1937, Page 6

MUNICIPAL WORKERS

Tentative Agreement Reached CONCILIATION COUNCIL MEETING ‘•Definitions, page 12, clause 20,” said the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. S. Ritchie, when the Conciliation Council met in Wellington yesterday to discuss conditions of employment o£ Wellington City Council workers belonging to the Wellington Labourers’ and Related Trades’ Union. The council discussed “wet places” and “shift work" for the next three hours. “The trouble with these awards is that you can drive a horse and cart through them,” said Mr. K. S. Marchant, an assessor for the city council. “You hfifve been driving Brown’s cows through this one!” said Mr. P. M. Butler, the union’s advocate, amid general laughter. The work in the afternoon was more productive and the council adjourned sine die with a tentative agreement having hoeu reached in the matter of wages and smaller points. The proposal submitted by the city council's advocate, Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, was an increase of per cent, all round on 1931 rates, but Mr. Butler was not prepared to discuss am offer by the city council of lees than £4/15/a week for the minimum labourers’ rate, approximately 8 per cent, increase for other workers, and a system of weekly payment “These men have not hrfd an increase as far as the minimum wage scale is concerned since 1926,” said Mr. Butler, “and there is no other employee who has not had an increase of from 10 to 20 per cent, since that time. The minimum wage labourers form the bulk of your employees. If Gisborne is able to pay its workers £4/15/- as a minimum rate, then surely the capital city can do the same.” Mr. Mountjoy offered a counterproposal that embodied a general increase of 3J per cent, on 1931 rates, but said that the city council was not prepared to agree to a weekly wage basis. He explained that the men were receiving many benefits that they had not had before and also stressed the fact that the 3} jjer cent increase would mean an approximate Increase in the city council’s wage bill of £5OOO a year. “From 1936 to 1938, £1421 was spent on coats for the men, and £282 on gloves,” he said. “In addition there have been extra holidays granted and other concessions made. We do not see any need for difference between casual and permanent employees, as casual workers are soon permanent workers, and during the time they are casual they have almost the same privileges.” “I have listened to that fairy tale with some interest. Some of you should be novelists, you make the story sound so good,” said Mr. Butler. “I would like to remind you that some of the men who suffered in 1931 had been on the staff for 18 years when they were treated as casual labourers. You employ tradesmen as labourers. The amount you spent on gloves must havesaved more than that amount in compensation, and there has been no issue of gloves since last February. Our men have had no benefit from the 40hour week, as the work has to be done just the same. To offer 3$ per cent when they have been so patient, is lieside the point” An increase to 2/31 an hour for the minimum wage, a little more than 5 per cent., was offered by Mr. Mountjoy, and an increase of 5 per cent, on all other rates other than the minimum level. He said that that was the limit to which the assessors for the city council felt they could go and still remain within the bounds of their responsibilities. It was finally agreed, on the suggestion of Mr. Butler, that, the city coun,cil assessors agree to a minimum rate of £4/15/- a week, or 2/4 an hour, and an increase on other rates of 5 jier cent., subject to their adjourning and receiving the direction of the city council Itself. The increases thus involved are to be retrospective as from July 14. Other matters not. yet discussed are to be held over till another meeting of the Conciliation Council.