INCREASE IN WAGES REFUSED

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 142, 12 March 1941, Page 10

INCREASE IN WAGES REFUSED

Harbour Board Workers ARBITRATION COURT DECISION

A new Dominion Harbour Board Employees' Award has been given by Mr. Justice Tyndall in the Court of Arbitration. It will come into force on March 17 and will apply for one year. lu view of the present shipping situation, the Court declined to grant all-round substantial wage increases, as sought by the workers.

The principal matters referred to the Court were hours of work, more particularly with regard to the dredges at Bluff, Napier, New Plymouth, Otago and Timarn, and the Wellington tug Toia; wtrges, with the exception of the rate for regular general hands, the Nelson schedule and certain other rates: and the question of a shift allowance for gatekeepers at Auckland. In view of the present unsatisfactory outlook concerning overseas shipping, and taking into consideration the fact that the parties had agreed that the term of the award should be for the short period of one year only, the Court decided to decline the application of the workers for substantial allround increases in wages, except where increased rates had been agreed upon ir conciliation council, and in a limited number of other cases where the workers bad in the past been in receipt of rates of wages not greater than that prescribed throughout the award for general hands. In regard to hours of work, the Court decided to retain the clauses in the old award.

Mr. A. L. Monteith, workers’ representative, was of opinion that st general wage increase of 2/6 a week should have iteen awarded in fine with the increase of 2/6 n week which was being granted to general hands as the result of agreement in conciliation council. In view, however, of the factors mentioned lie did not desire to record a formal dissent.