MILK VENDORS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 150, 26 June 1915, Page 8

MILK VENDORS

PROPOSED NEW AWARD. The Conciliation Council, which sat on Thursday under the chairmanship of Mr. P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner) to consider tho dairy workers' dispute, arrived at an agreement which will form the subject of a recommendation to the Arbitration Court. The principal points of the agreement are as follow: Hours: Fifty-two per week for all workers (at present fifty hours for drivers and fifty-two for other workers); Sundays and Wednesdays to be short days on which there will be only one delivery of milk. Workers other than drivers may arrange with their employers for the half-holiday on any day in the week. It shall also be permissible for workers to arrange amongst themselves to work double shift on the short days, so that half of their number may obtain a whole holiday. Wages: £2 15s a week dry pay (£2 10s at present), or, at the workers' option, £2 12s 6d dry pay and a quart of milk daily. Overtime: All time worked in excess of fifty-two hours per week shall be paid for as overtime at the rate of time and a-quarter for the first two hours and double time thereafter, except in case of tram delays or accidents. Learners and assistants: Provision is made as formerly for tie payment of learners, and it is ako provided that lads up to sixteen years of age may be employed as assistants at a minimum rate of £1 per week. The proportion of assistants to drivers varies from one assistant for one driver to four assistants for ten drivers. In the factory or dairy one assistant is allowed for every two workers. No driver shall employ any assistant other than the one engaged by the employer. Preference: Preference is granted to members of the union, but it is now provided that union officials must notify a non-union worker that they wish him to join. The term of the award shall be three years from a date to be fixed by the Court. A special clause has been inserted in the agreement to the effect that persons, firms, and companies carrying on business at Petone and Lower Hutt, while retained as parties to the award, shall be exempt from its provisions so long as they do not enter into competition with vendors of milk in Wellington city or its immediate suburbs.