CEMENT WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 14, 16 July 1936, Page 11

CEMENT WORKERS

CONTINUOUS TIME

Applications in respect to the period of continuous Work f6r cement Workers were dealt with by the Court of Arbitration today.

Mr. W. E. Anderson appeared for the Milburn Lime and Cement Co. (Dunedin), Wilson's Portland Cement Co., and the Golden Bay-Cement Co., Ltd. The cement. workers in each case were represented by Mr. J. Roberts.

Mr. Anderson stated that as a result of a conference between the parties Mr. Roberts had agreed to join the cement companies in asking the Court to make an order providing for the extension ,pf the period of contiguous work without a meal from 4i hours to eight hours in respect to shift workers employed by the three companies. Mr. Roberts also agreed that where it was necessaryXto work more than 4J hours to finish a job in hand, the period of continuous work, other than in the case of shift workers, should be extended to five hours.

Mr. Justice. Page said that the Court would draw an order incorporating the wishes of the parties and would submit it for approval.

Mr. Roberts said it was' intended that the extension of time for the completion of a'job should apply particularly to the case of loading a ship With cement and when there was, a? breakdown of machinery. Mr. P. M.'Butler, on behalf of lime workers, said that the agreement arrived at between the parties in the cement cases would be equally suitable in the lime cases.

Replying, Mr. Anderson said that wherever it was possible to come to a settlement in c6hf£renee with the other side he would prefer that course, but he did not think it possible in the case of the lime companies* It was extremely difficult to get employers .to adopt one scheme. Hei could suggest to them the possibility of settling, but he was not very hopeful.

The Court adjourned until this afternoon. When the lime cases are down for hearing.