FIBROUS PLASTER

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 11

FIBROUS PLASTER

LOCAL INDUSTRY ;

MOVE* FOR AN AWARD

The Arbitration ; !Co.urfc-.heardi-to-day an application for an award in the Wellington- fibrous 'piaster; manufacturing industry; which has been governed up to the present by the. Factories Act. The principal-matters in dispute were wages, hours of work, the proportion of youths to i, be employed,, suburban work, and tho scope of the award. Mr. W. Broadley appeared for the union, and Mr. W. J. Mountjoy for the ■employers. - ■■." ■ '■■"' -. ' --: ,:. ■The members of the * Court paid a visit to two factories. before <: hearing :the parties.1 ■-■"' ': . '."■i ■-.' - ■'• Addressing the Court, Mr. Broadley said with reference. to • the employers '■ claim for elastic, working hours and tho right to apply them-at discretion, that any interference v w,ith the.regular-hours; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., was objeetioriabla .to the workers. .. As tho award stood'at present the hours'were quite satisfactory. A' mutual agreement in connection with the operation of. a daylight saying.!scheme.-.might-'lead "to a misunderstanding,- and. it would: ..be very difficult to prove a case of failure to pay overtime. .; Mr.; Bradley criticised the .wagegoffered to casters; and stressed the:'arduous nature'of tho work. ■, The men. required 'experience and skill and yet were offered no more than a labourer's.wAge. ih;.asking for a.higher rate, the union/had taken all the factors into,:consideration aii'd; considered that'the rate'was -'commensurate with the work done; The ; employers suggested starting youths at 16, but the union with a full knowledge of the conditions, desired to fix the minimum age at 18. : ■ The: wages offered to youths .were on a very .low level; The union's'claim regarding the proportion of youths to!be employed;was designed to protect. the man . who "had been-through the probationary stage on low wages and had qualified for -the position of a . fully -paid caster. It was ridiculous to suggest /that three youths should be ■ placed:. with, every fully paid,caster. ...-■:: ■)':. . .-;. ~.'■. [Referring to tho definition df suburban w.ork,- Mr.- Broadley contended that there, .was no; difference' between solid plasterers and-, /fibrous ; plasterers so far as travelling toVwork. was_ vconcernea. The -union strongly objected to the employers' proposal to increase the radius from the To Aro -Post Office from one and a half, miles, as;in_the solid plasterers' award, to two miles* It was also opposed1 to the proposal that employment should be deemed; to commence at ihe place .of engagement where it was away from- the; emloyer's place of business. .. That'moant that the worker would have : to' forego payment for travelling-time arid fares'; Mr. Broadley also touched upon the union's claim to include the Hawkes Bay provincial district in;the scope of the" award, his arguments being along the same linos as those used, yesterday in the solid plasterers' dispute. ' His Honour observed in regard to the proposed Hwo-milo" radius, in. suburban work that it was- very .unlikely;, the Court would'make..any .alteration to the provision agreed upon in the (solid plasterers' dispute.,. '• .' . . ■'..--.".- ---. (Proceeding.) "..". ,