DRIVERS' AWARD

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 71, 25 March 1933, Page 15

DRIVERS' AWARD

AGREEMENT REACHED

CONCILIATORY SPIRIT

A complete agreement was reached this morning in the final stages of the Wellington motor - and horse drivers' dispute in Conciliation Council; Mr. E. W. F. Gohns presided.

A day of nine hours' ordinary time was agreed upon, Cd an hour above the ordinary rates to be paid for any time worked before 7 a.m. or after 6 p.m. The following weekly rates were adopted for youths ' employed as drivers:—l 6to 17 years of age, £1; 17 to 18, £1 7s 6d; 18 to 19, £1 17s 6d--19 to 20, £2 ss;. 20 to 21, £2 15s. These rates were approximately midway between the employers' offer and the old award rates less. 10 per cent. After considerable discussion the fol-' lowing proposal made by the employers was agreed to by the workers' assessors: "Employers shall be entitled to make a deduction from the wages of .workers for time lost through slackness of work or for any stoppage of work over which the employer has no control." The clause was amplified as follows: "Provided that when a weekly worker is ordered to attend work On any day he shall be paid for not less than, four hours' work; irrespective of whether or not four hours' work has been required of him. Except in exceptional circumstances weekly -workers shall riot be stood down while • casual men are employed, So far as is reasonably practicable a fair distribution of ' work shall be made to all employees.": The agreement will be forwarded to the Arbitration Court for ratification, and will come into operation, on March 31. It will be operative for one year. Mr. A.-Parlane, secretary of the union, who acted as advocate for the employees, thanked the Commissioner for the able way in which he ha<3. ( conducted the proceedings, and expressed pleasure that an agreement had been reached. Everything considered, he said, the employees had, .to be satisfied with the new award, but he hoped, that the economic position .would-soon improve to such an extent as to justify another application on a higher, scale.

Mr. W..-.J. Mountjoy, the employers' advocate, said that a splendid spirit of co-operation had. been 6howa throughout the proceedings. The assessors had not come to the meeting- with biased ideas. Employers were not opposed, to awards, but they simply could, not enter into fresh agreements, similar to those made when the country /was flourishing. Under those circumstances they appreciated the attitude of the union in. the present case in helping them to tide over the difficult times. In doing so the employees were also helping themselves. . , The Commissioner said he thought that the agreement should work to the entire satisfaction of both . sides. A most conciliatory spirit had been in evidence at the hearing, which.! had been a very harmonious one.