THE PAINTING TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 124, 22 November 1923, Page 8

THE PAINTING TRADE

DOMINION AWARD SOUGHT

44-HOUR WEEK AGREED TO

The framing of wages and conditions in the painting and decorating trade to apply to «11 parts of the Dominion is the subject of a large conference of employers and employees, sitting as a Conciliation Council, which opened before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) this morning. The assessors for the Painters' Federation, which filed claims against the employers, are Messrs. H Campbell (Auckland), W. Cooper (Wellington), F. Cullen (Nelson), U Leigh (YVanganui), G. Owen (Christchurch), and J. Watkins (Dunedin). The employers assessors are Messrs P T Birch (Auckland), W. H. Bott (Wanganui), E. Savage (Nelson), W. A Polson (Christchurch), T. A. Wells (Wellington), and' W. Nicol (Wellington). Mr. F Cornwall is acting as agent for the federation, and Mr. S. E. Wright for the employers. The federation sought 2s 9d per hour as the rate of wage, as against the employers counter-proposal of 2s per hour. i cjmoney was as'ce<l in the award of Is 6d when work was continued after 5 p.m. The employers proposed the same rates for apprentices as at present: the employees proposed £1 Ss per week for the first six months, with an increase of 5s every six months until the ten 1* period of six months, when the wane would be £3 10s. Double pay was sought by the unions for overtime work whereas the employers proposed 3s per hour for the first four hours, and 4s per hour till 6 a.m. As against the 40----hour five-day week sought by the federation, the employers asked for a 44----hour week of 5i days. There were also differences between the claims in respect to piece-work, suburban work, and preterence. . -

Applications for special exemptions were ."»■£• by. the Wellington Harbour Board the Union Steam Ship Company, and the freezing companies, in accordance with exemptions granted by the Arbitration Court. Tffe Union Company sought a definition of a skilled painter, maintaining that there was no skill required in painting ships' hulls, me assessors opposed 1 all exemptions on principle. The Waimea County Council also sought exemption Atter lengthy discussion, the whole question was referred to the Arbitration Court.

REMEDYING THE DEFECTS OF OTHERS.

In.presenting the unions' case, Mr. Cornwall said he thought that the workers should be conceded an increase in wages, considering the degree of proficiency required of them, anid that they had to remedy defects in the work of other workers in the building trade ■He quoted an Australian precedent for the five-day; week, and said, that increased! efficiency would accompany reduced hours. They contended they had not been fairly treated.on the cost-of-Uving question, and that their claims were justified by the.nature of their work. In effect the federation asked tnat paint-spraying machines should not be used, on account of their effect upon the worker. The introduction of such inventions was commercialising (the trade too much, and destroying the artistic, and in using them the employers were overlooking the human factor. Mr., .Wright; said that at first the employers • were' -f opposed to a Dominion award, as conditions varied so much in the different districts, but they now agreed to the proposal, so long as conditions were fixed for each district, particularly in regard to the suburban work clause. He thought the other trades would resent the suggestion that the painters job was to remedy the defects ol the. previous worker. The employers were not prepared to consider the 40----hour week; there was no precedent for it in New Zealand, The objection to the spraying machine involved a very important point. A cabinet machine was m use in Auckland, which protected the worker entirely, and the employers opposed the clause for extra pay for such work. The master painters thought the time had arrived when piecework should be provided for in the awards.

Mr. Birch declared that the employers were absolutely and firmly opposed to any reduction from 44 hours per week and after discussion the workers' representatives accepted the position on those terms.

The detailed discussion on the other clauses is being conducted in committee.