EMPLOYERS' OFFER

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 60, 12 March 1937, Page 5

EMPLOYERS' OFFER

ALL-ROUND INCREASE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 11.

While declining to make any definite statement on the issues arising from the stoppage of work at chemical manure works, the employers said they had made an offer of improved wages to all employees in an endeavour to effect a settlement at conciliation council. ■>

"Although the men had invoked the Arbitration Court in initiating proceedings for. a new award," read a statement issued tonight, "they took up the attitude that unless a settlement could be made in conciliation they would take direct action. The employers naturally had to consider their farming customers equally with their employees, and in making the offer which they did of an increase all round they felt that they had done the utmost they could for the workers under the circumstances."

Following is the offer made, showing, a comparison with the wages the men were receiving before the increase in hourly rates, due- to the 40-hour week. The amounts quoted are hourly rates, the former rates being shown in parentheses:—Day labour, new rate 2s 3d (Is 10£ d); chamber men, 2s 43d (2s); shift workers, 2s 4d (Is 11 id); men on "super bank," 2s 4d (Is 10£ d); unloading sulphur—day rates, 2s 6d (2s lid); night shift, 2s 7d (2s 2£d).

When the dispute was referred to the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H: T. Armstrong) he said he had not received any. official intimation of the trouble. The Minister did not make any other comment on the dispute.

An application to the City Council for permission to form tennis courts on the Town Belt near Grass Street has been declined. Councillor J. Burns, chairman of the Reserves Committee, said that the area in question was the only piece of-ground upon which children -could'play.