METAL-WORKERS' DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 26, 31 January 1923, Page 6

METAL-WORKERS' DISPUTE

CONCILIATION SITTING.

The Conciliation Council appointed to discuss the dispute that has arisen between the Wellington Metal Workers' Assistants' Union and their employers met before .the Commkeioner (Mr. W. Newton) this morning. The assessors for the union were Messrs. A. Murray, J. Regan 3 and J. C. O'Brien; and for the employers, Messrs. A_ C. Mitchell, E. E. Stonebanks, and J. Cable. Mr. H. F. Allen appeared as agent for the employers The case was before the Commissioner previously, and was ■ referred to the Court, but subsequently a further application was made with the object of adding the country workers, who had not previously been cited, as parties to the city award. The dispute was to-day .reopened in toto.

The dispute was created by the union. The demands were for a 44-hour week; a minimum wage:of 2s 3d per hour; time and a half overtime for the first three hours and thereafter double time; 2s per day for dirty work on ships or ashore.

The employers asked in their counterproposals for a 41-lnouv week; time and a quarter overtime for the first two hours, and time and a half thereafter; and double time', between then and ordinary time 1 for commencing work next day; wages varying from Is 4jd per hour to Is sid Per hour for adult workers, and from 15s to 50s per week for youths under 15 years of ace; and Is 6d,per day for dirty work. ■■ •

s Application for total and partial exemption respectively from the City Council and the Harbour Board were referred to the Court.

The adding of parties and the various clauses of the claims and counter claims were considered in committee!