GOLD DREDGE WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 83, 6 October 1915, Page 2

GOLD DREDGE WORKERS

An award has hran delivered by the Arbitration Court fli the Inangahua mine and dredge employees' dispute. In a memorandum the Court- states : " The award affects only four employers and about sixty workers. The employers are all dredging companies, cawying oil business of a highly speculative character and, for some time past, of a very unprofitable character. The workers asked for substantial increases to the wages which have been paid by the employers for some time past; but the Court, having regard to the unprofitable j result of the operations of the employers ha 6 not felt justified in acceding; te the request. Some slight increases, however, have been made in the cases of winclimen, firemen, and blacksmiths, and the conditions have been somewhal improved. . . . The hours of Saturday and Sunday shifts have been made similar to those in quartz rainee. A number of holidays during the yeav were agreed on, but the Court has granted the employers' request to irclude them in one continuous period a, being of mutual advantage to both em ployers and workers. Fortnightly pay-> ment of wages, and preference are als'"> provided for. The term of the awiuis two years. The wages are : Blacksmiths and bush - man firemen, 12s per shift ; winchmoii and firemen, «lls per shift ; others, 10s per shift. *