FIBROUS PLASTERERS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1933, Page 4

FIBROUS PLASTERERS

SETTLEMENT REACHED

BOTH SIDES CONCEDE

Concessions made by both parties facilitated agreement being reached, on all but one minor point, which will be submitted to the Court- of...Arbitration for settlement, when the Wellington fibrous plasterers' dispute was continued before the Conciliation 'Commissioner,-Mr. P. Hully. yesterday afternoon. An application will be made for an award to come into effect on March 20 next, for. a period of one year. •'• The assessors'--were: —For the employers, Messrs. W. J. Mountjoy (advocate), R. Kent, T.F. Foley, T. N. Lovalt, and F. G. Johnson: for the employees, Messrs. W. Broadley, C. Barn, R. Burton, and C. Hall. When the sitting was resumed yesterday after the midday adjournment, Mr. Broadley said that the workers wore prepared to consider the suburban work clause in its entirety provided that all fares and out of pocket expenses outside a twomile .limit ..w.ere.-paid by-tho employer. Regarding overtime they offered time and a quarter for the first three hours, time and' a half for the next three hours', and double time thereafter. They would accept the employers' proposals in regard to meal money. They could not, however, accept the disputes clause.suggested by the employers. They would agree to other proposals in the • general provisions provided all wages were the same as under the existing award following the 10 per cent, reduction. Mr. Mountjoy said that the employers' proposals to some extent met those of the workers. They would offer 2s per hour for fibrous plasterers and Is 9d per hour for casters. For learners, who could work in any branch of the trade, they offered tbe following rates: —Under 16 years,-".15s per week; 16 to 17, £1; 17 to 18, £1 7s 6d; 18 .to 19, £1 15s; 19 to 20, £2 2s 6d; 20 to 21, £2 10s. They were prepared to increase the proportion of learners to one to every two, or fraction .of two, _ully-p_id[ fibrous plasterers or: casters. The employer, wanted to be able to make a rateable reduction in learners' wages for time lost during a week owing to slackness of work. They would accept the workers' proposals in regard to overtime, and accept the provisions for country work. The employers did not want the Scaffolding clause, and they considered it was of no importance to.the •workers. Travelling . expenses would be paid for suburban' work providing the employee did not live - within • two miles of the job. Their original disputes clause was still desired. ''■" '. THE DISPUTES CLAUSE. , The Commissioner suggested that the disputes clause should-■ be framed _o as to apply only to cases where the majority of the workers were affected, and should not interfere with the tight of a worker to leave a job if he had good and sufficient cause. The employees objected to boy. under the age of 18 being employed as learners, claiming that some of-the work was too heavy. They also strongly objected to the employers' proposals to.do away with apprentices. Mr. Burton said that learners would probably be dismissed once they had commenced to earn good wages, and they would never be recognised as tradesmen. WAGES FOR LEARNERS. Mr. Broadley proposed that the clause regarding learners should apply only to casters, and he suggested the following wage.:—l 7-18 years of age,-.EI 7s 6d; 18,19, £1 13s; -19-20, £2. 4s; 20-21, £2.13s 6d. After the employers' assessors had' retired, ,Mr. Mountjoy announced that they were prepared to accept the disputes clause proposed by Mr.. Hally. They were also willing that youth.-under the age of 20 'should be employed only in casting work, the age limit to be 16, and the wages to be as previously proposed. A retirement by the employees.was followed by. the announcement that they also would accept the amended disputes clause and-the conditions regarding youths. In return they- wanted the wage for fibrous plasterers to bc ; 2s;o?4d per hour. ■■;.; This/the.employers'agreed -to,,' and the proceedings! accordingly concluded satisfactorily. ■•::. __.._[ ; Both Mr. Mountjoy and Mr. Broadley expressed.-their--appreciation, of the assistance and sympathetic "treatment received fro__~Mik:..__alfy,';. . In returning'"thanks', Mr. Sally Said that tbe"_ucce-_'"of the proceedings was largely due ,tp\,the\,straightforward and frank manner in which the leaders of the two parties Had presented their respective : cases.