MEN APPEASED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 12, 15 January 1910, Page 6

MEN APPEASED.

SLAUGHTERMEN'S CASE SETTLED. AGREEMENT FOR FIVE YEARS. A conference last night between representatives of employers (North Island, Nelson, and Marlborough) and members of the executive of the New Zealand Slaughtermen's Federation cleared the way to a settlement of the meat dispute. Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner presided at the assembly, but not officially as commissioner. The workers were represented by Messrs. R. Jones, B. F. H'lvor, H. Brader, and M. J. Reardon (secretary of the federation). The discussion was protracted till midnight, and the debate was resumed today, but it is understood that to-day proceedings, conducted by a committee set up last night, are merely to put into formal and fixed shape the terms to which the employers' representatives agreed lalst night. THE TERMS OF PEACE. The main features of the terms of peace, to which both parties have agreed, said Mr. Reardon to-day, are : — Killing-rate for sheep, 25s a hundred. (The employers, in their recent statement proposed 235). No fines for damage done to hides or carcases during the slaughtering operation. (The employers asked for fines in cases of carelessness.) An eight-hour day. The employers asked that the range of hours should be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with payment for certain waiting and overtime after eight hours had been worked. The men proposed 8 to 5 as the ordinary working hours from Monday to Friday, and not later than 1 p.m. on Saturdays. From Monday to Friday not more than one hour overtime is to be worked. On Saturdays four hours' overtime may be worked, but in no case are the men to be kept on later than 4 p.m. The men have now recognised the right of the employers to start the day at 7j or 8 a.m. — overtime, at the rate of tune and a quarter, to be paid after eight hours have been worked, measured from the starting time, 7 or 8 o'clock. Waiting time is to be paid at the rate of 2s an hour. If, for example, the men agreed on one day to start work at 7 o'clock next morning, and assembled atj the works only to hear that a start was not to be made till 11 o'clock, they would be entitled to four hours' waiting time, according to Mr! Reardon's account of the new agreement This agreement, he says, is practically "che same as the old one except that the employers have an hour to "'come and go on." One learner to ten qualified slaugntermcn. The employers originally asked for on© to eight, and the union one to fifteen. Qualified preference to unionists. In the award "issued for Taranaki it is stipulated that an employer may engage a non-unionist if the worker agrees to join the union within a month after his engagement. It is understood that though the "preference principle" has been established by the unionists at the conference, the employers will have the latitude granted in Taranaki. THE RANGE OF THE MENTSo far the agreement concerns only the meat works of the North Island and the Nelson and Marlborough districts. The Canterbury companies have independently made agreements with their men on lines similar to those just quoted, but Mr. Reardon gives an opinion that the terms secured by the Southern unionists are not, quite so good, from the workers' viewpoint, as those arranged here last night. . The employers, added Mr. Reardon, have given an assurance that the companies throughout New Zealand will fall into line with those whose represenh tatives last night agreed to the conditions mentioned. TO BE AN AWARD. Apparently, the Conciliation Council, which was to sit again this morning*, is to have no further function. Several of the assessors were at last night's conclave, but not in the capacity of assessors, under the Act. The terms are to be embodied in an agreement which is to go straight to the Arbitration Court to oe constituted an award for three years. Mi. Reardon -was asked by a Post representative whether there was any possibility that the court might call for further evidence. ''There will be no 'tags.' " he said. He plainly indicated that the court's function would be merely to alter the name of the settlement from "industrial agreement" to award. The employers asked that at the^ expiration of the three years, the representatives of the workers should use their best endeavours to have the eslential features of the award observed for an additional two years. During this extra term the compact will be an "agreement," not an -award. The heads of the Slaughtermen's Federation have agreed to that request.