COOKS AND STEWARDS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 67, 20 March 1931, Page 12

COOKS AND STEWARDS

COASTAL SHIPPING

HEARING OF DISPUTE

The Arbitration Court w;is engaged yesterday in hearing an industrial dispute affecting the pay, Jio'tk, and conditions of members of the Federated Cooks' and Stewards' nion. The employera aro the coastal shipping1 couip.'inius. Substantially the union asked for increased pay o£ approximately 15 per cent. The companies applied for a reduction in pay of about 10 per cent.

Mr. E. Kennedy appeared for the union and Mr. T. O. Bishop for the employers. Outlining tho case for the union, Mr. B. Kennedy said that the principal claim under the heading of wages was that the monthly pay should be as follows: —Chief stewards, £.18 15s; chief cook, £18 las;, cook-steward, tvith assistant or assistants, £18 15s; cook-steward where no assistant is employed, £20 15s; assistant cooks and stewards, £14 os. Tho union asked to have wages fixed that at least would be equal to the wages paid on other ships. It was contended that, worked out at an hourly rate on a 48-honrs week, the claim was less than the Court's basic wage, and would not equal it after allowance was made for food and lodging. Where the crew numbered -0 or over the request was that au assistant cook should be carried.

When a cargo steamer carried passengers or other persons in excess of three, in addition to the crew, the union claimed that the galley staff should be paid an extra amount at the rate of £4 a month to the chief cook and £2 a month to other cooks. A demand was made for an eight-hour day at sea and 3s an hour for overtime. A demand was made that any worker being in continuous employment in one ship for twelve months should be allowed a.holiday of 21 days on full pay, instead of 14 days. '' EXTRAVAGANT EARNINGS.'' The employers' claim, said Mr. T. O. Bishop, was for a reduction of 15 per cent, on all wago rates. The justification for that claim would be found in the returns of earnings submitted by the companies bound by the award. The returns showed tho earnings of cooks and stewards to range from £200 per annum in very exceptional cases to well on towards £400 in tho majority of cases. Mr. Bishop said that during the last two award periods the earnings had been tremendously increased by the curtailment of the hours of work and by the increase in the rate of pay for overtime. The earnings woro altogether out of proportion to the value of the work done, as compared with the work of other ratings. The coastal shipping industry served principally the exporters of primary products, who could not now afford to continue paying the freight rates which bad been necessary to enable these extravagant earnings in coastal shipping to continue. He submitted a return showing that tho average earnings of cooks and stewards had increased nearly 140 per cent., arising from increased wages, curtailment of hours, and increases in overtime payments. Kenneth M'Leay, general manager of Richardson and Co., produced certified returns of tho earnings of tho cooks and stewards of the company's steamers. The figures showed that the men had earned £200 and upwards—in a number of eases £400. Mr. Bishop put in returns from other companies. The decision of the Court was reserved.