PLUMBERS' DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 59, 11 March 1937, Page 11

PLUMBERS' DISPUTE

TO GO TO THE COURT

After sitting yesterday and -this morning in conciliation council, full agreement was not in thefDominion dispute between the New Zealand Federated Plumbers and Gasfitters' Industrial Association of Workers and the New Zealand Federation of Master Plumbers, matters which were referred to. the Court of Arbitration being wages, certain exemptions of employers, and points in a few minor clauses. The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. M. J. Reardon, presided.

The employers'- assessors were Messrs.- b. I. Macdonald (agent),. J. J. Rogers, R. Bell, C. W. Oborn,. ,D. Menzies, S. G. Angell, G. R. Baxter.

The . employees' assessors were Messrs. -H. Thompson. lagent), J. E. Slattery, J. Clark, G. Anderson, O. Jackson, A. E.. Walsh, L. Humphreys, H. Freeman. . . ... . .

Agreement was. reached on a 40-hour week, Monday to Friday. Double-time is to be paid, for work done on Saturday,- Sunday, New Year's Day, Good Friday,. Anzac- Day, Easter . Monday, Labour Day, 'Christmas Day, and Boxing Day... ..'. . . . . .

- Overtime was agreed to as follows:- — All work done outside of .or in excess of the specified hours is .to. count as overtime. and ,'be. paid for at the rate of time, and a half for .the first four hours and double time, thereafter. Any time worked .between the hours of 10 p.m. each day except Saturday, 'and 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and the ordinary time for commencing work next morning is to bs paid for at double time rates. Workers required to commence work between the hours of 6 a.m. and the ordinary time for commencing work are to -be paid at the rate of time and a half - for such time. Any worker having worked all day .and night, and being, required -to continue working on into the ordinary workinghours of the next day, is to be paid double-time rates for all such time worked on the second day. Any worker having worked all day and having continued work till after midnight is to be given.eight hours off, or be paid double. rates for all time worked on the second day. Any time worked in excess of five hours without time being allowed for a meal is. to be paid for at double-time rates.

The union sought a;wage of 2s 9d per hour for a'plumber or a gasfitter, and the employers' offer was 2s s|d, finally raised to 2s 6d.

' Payment for dirty work, and work in confined spaces with high temperatures, and the usual suburban and country work clauses were agreed to. ' The exemption clauses in the employers' ■ counter-proposals on which agreement was not reached were as follows: —"This award shall not apply to any engineer or plumber who is on the articles of any ship' or is standing by such ship at seagoing wages during repair and overhaul work. Harbour boards are bound by such only of the provisions of this award as relate to the payment of the minimum rates of wages and overtime and the observance of Sundays and holidays. Harbour boards -may substitute the holidays observed" under their own regulations in lieu of those provided. Hospital boards shall be exempt from the provisions of this award providing they pay the minimum .rates of wages for ordinary time set out herein."

The term of the Court's award will be for one year.

Richard Jones, 33, an electrician, stated to have been a research engineer, was at the Central Criminal Court, London, sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment for making counterfeit coins and possessing moulds for coining. He pleaded "guilty."

A .fall of 15 feet from the staging of the.new Government Life .Building in Customhouse Quay at 4 p.m. yesterday resulted in a carpenter, W. H. Lawton, of 250 Ohiro Road, suffering shock and injuries to both ankles. He was taken to the hospital by the Free Ambulance.

Ramsey Wilson, Ltd.,. auctioneers, will sell- large consignments of furniture, carpet squares, and pianos at. 1.30 p.m. tomorrow at .the. auction rooms, 9S Manners Street.-