DRAPERY TRADE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 139, 9 December 1914, Page 8

DRAPERY TRADE

AWARD PROPOSALS. Representatives of the Retail Soft Goods Employees' Union and the master drapers of Wellington met under the chairmansliip of the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. P. Hally) this monuDg to consider the union's proposals for a new award. The assessors were — For the employers: Messrs. T. Bush, F.J. Caterer, and W. Simm ; for the union : Messrs. C- Barker, A. W. Croskery, and A. J. Humphreys. The following resolution, adopted at a meeting of the masters drapers cited in the demands, was put before • the council : "This meeting regrets that the Wellington Retail Soft Goods Trade Employees' Union has, at this strenuous and anxious time, applied to the Conciliation Council to grant such excessive and impossible demands as set out in its application to the Conciliation Commissioner to be heard on 9th December. This meeting is of opinion that, until tho Dominion is in a secure and more settled state, it would be inadvisable both for employers and employees to disturb the existing award." Mr. Croskery, on behalf of the union, said that three members of the Master Drapers' Association, representing the biggest drapery employers of the city, had met representatives of the union, and, in conference with them, had come to an agreement upon all but two points, the term of the award and the preference clause. The union had waived the question of wages for the time being, with the exception of a half-crown increase to girls. Since then, he understood, the whole of the employers cited had held a meeting. Mr. Bush stated that the agreement was not entered upon as a binding one, but subject to confirmation by both parties. There was a strong feeling amongst master drapers that the old award should not be interfered with at this juncture. Employers did not refuse to conciliate ab a later stage when things became more settled, but for the present, though they were not feeling the pinch, they did not know what would happen, and were not prepared to negotiate. The assessors had been empowered by the meeting only to consent to the extension of the old award for two years. Mr. Croskery said the union did not propose to impose extra penalties upon the employers, but it han to formulate demands in order to come before the Arbitration Court when that body recommenced the hearing of disputes. It was prepared now to discuss proposals for an immediate award, but if the employers would nob agree to such a discussion the demands as put in most go on to the Court. The assessors for the employers repeated that they were not empowered to negotiate for any new award. The Commissioner suggested an adjournment, but this the union would not accept, and the proceedings before tho Council were therefore closed.