PLUMBERS' DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 3

PLUMBERS' DISPUTE

BEFORE CONCILATION COUNCIL

QUESTION OF EXEMPTIONS.

An application by the New Zealand Federated Plumbers and GasfitW Industrial Association of ■■ Workers for a lJominion award was made before-the Conciliation Council to-day. The Conciliation Commissioner,' Mr: W. Newton, presided. Following were the assessors for' the applicants :—Messrs. J. W. ?w-n?Uf',(Dunedin)>-' F- E' Harridge (Wellington),- .0: Provan (Invercargill), m- ?nn (Wemngton), H. Thompson (Wellington), C. N. Watson (Christchurch). The assessors for the employers were:—Messrs. J. S. Douglas (Dun-. nf GV W- Key (Wellington); W. Judd (Wellington), W. ; C. Lange (Christchurch), W, Cecil Prime (Christchurch), A. E. Wells (Wellington). ■ In regard to an application by Mr. R. U Bishop on behalf of the Christchurch Uas Company' fo.r - exemption, it was stated by Mr. Bolton that the applicants' intended opposing all. exemptions under the new award. , , •■-. - Mr. Newton suggested that the applicants should reconsider this point before^ referring, the matter ,to the Court, and Mr. Bolton agreed that this could be done. ...... Mr/ Bishop remarked that exemption had always been granted by the Court, Mr. Bolton_pointed out that the Uhristchurch Gas Company' was ■in competition with the employers. .What; Mr. Bishop wanted was to" be able to call men out after tours and pay them ordinary I :es while in such circumstances the ordinary employer would be required to pay overtime. : . . . ; ;. It. was decided : to-' refer the whole1 matter to the Court;. / :' : -'-.-, . ; , A similar application .for-f' exemptionby Mr. Kennedy on behalf of the Wellington Gas Company, ■ also was referred: to. the Court. : .-.. ;: .... s;. •- Mr. F. V. Sanderson applied. for: exemption on behalf of the New Zealand Freezing Companies. He mentioned that/ unlike the gas companies, the freezing companies were not in-any way in coin-; petition;to the employers. ' : ..- Mr. Bolton said '.that .freezingv'companies were at times in competition- with the; employers, and intimated that the application would therefore be opposed. The - application was referred to the Court, with the application by Mr. Tur- ~-'\ ner on behalf of the Wellington Harbour Board. ,' ''/\ . , . v- .-'"•,'■■ ■./■; . ' SPAEE TIME WORK. ; A question was raised,in regard to an employee, having completed his day's work, taking an engagement' under any other, employer. The opinion was expressed that for a journeyman to do out-; side work in this fashion was very unfair, and tended to; make it impossible •f^T an employer to pay a reasonable, wage. .-. .'■ '-■ . ..-■■- . ■■'.-.' '-■;■- The Commissioner said that the matter. certainly required attention, but it could not ibe dealt with under the award. •There Vwas nothing- to. prevent a man' doing what he liked .in his own; spare time, although individual cases might well be met. ' There was the: position of a" journeyman plumber working at night for a vaudeville company.' Could he \be prevented from doing this ? n was his own time. : . - "■' ■'• ' Mr.' Eenn pointed out, that, in^ such a" case he was not-competing" with plumbers, employers, or journeymen. '.■-.. Mr. Watson said the man who needed attention was the. one who worked after hours in competition to his'; "employer, and; in many'cases, usedhis employer's own materials.'-. h. . „ .■ ; . AGREEMENT ON HOURS: The applicants, claimed a 40-hoai week with, no work on Saturday. ' The employers offered a 44-hour week, with Saturday, a half-day.. ;- : .; f,.. Mr. Prime said, ,that the employers would strenuously oppose this claim, and outlined the respondents' point of view. to Mr. Key, a .''-free" Saturday would merely play into the hands of the journeyman previously objected to—the man who worked in his spare, time. • ' • - / . Mr. Bishop remarked that it would be quite impossible for gas companiesto agree to the employees' proposal: - Sat^ urday morning was perhaps the busiest for the companies, and there'was certain work which had to be done before Sunday, in the interests of the public "The dear .old public," opinioned Mr. Kenn, could be considered too. much? "A: free Satnrday would -give the journeyman; a chance to ; spend the time in a healthful arid profitablea/way. Looking at the matter generaUy, Mr. Watson said that if a 40-nour weeK were introduced in New Zealand, the innovation would ,be. forgotten in a few months, and everything would co on as previously. ' .' ■■ . • Mr. Prime: "And then you would want more wages to cope with; the increased cost of living. 1 am, thinking of the decreased output, which would ba the result." . . •-' , ; ' ' Mr." Watson : "It has been provei time and time again tnat the shortening of hours; has resulted in an increase in production." i . . .- The appb'cants finally decided to agree to a 44-hour* week. (Proceeding.) ■■