WORK IN OIL STORES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 13

WORK IN OIL STORES

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

The terms and conditions o£ employment under which workers engaged as storemen and packers in oil stores shall work were the subject of conciliation proceedings which, began today. Mr. E. W. 1?. Gohns presided. "An application by the employers for a local award for the Wellington district and an application by the unions concerned for a Dominion, award were taken together. The oil companies were represented at the proceedings by Messrs. V. E. Larcomb, W. Hudson, L. W. Gilbert, M. J. Anderson, E. Thomson, J. W. Higgins, and W. J. Mountjoy. The employees' representatives were Messrs. W. Miller, J. Tucker, W. Herbert, H. Worrall, H. Hailwood, J. Murray, and G; Fleming. Iv the matter of working hours, the employees asked for conditions substantially in accordance with, the old award, eight hours a day to be worked and the working week to consist of 44 hours. The employers suggested the same number, of hours per week, but asked for the right to insist on nine hours a day being worked if necessary.

On the question of wages there was wide divergence between the claims of the parties. The employees asked for a weekly wage for youths of /£2 to £3, according to age; £4 10s per week for permanent hands; £4 12a 6d per weekfforr r those in charge; and £5 per week for head storemen. The employers' counterproposals were for wages at the rate of 15s a week for youths under 17, rising to £3 10s a week for workers 21 years of age and over, workers in charge to receive £3 12s 6d, and head storemen £3 17s 6d. ■

Before the hours and wages clauses were considered, agreement was reached on several machinery clauses. Discussion is proceeding on the points in dispute. Justifying the unions' request for an increase in wages, Mr. Miller said that the pegging of the exchange had resulted in a rise in the cost of living.:

The oil companies,: it was pointed out, were feeling the pinch as much as anyone else. They Were bearing their part of the added burden o£ taxation and their profits were not nearly as great as was made out in some quarters, The provision made for the distribution of oil in New Zealand was comparable to that in countries with a much larger population, and overhead expenses .were continually increasing. • .