NO AGREEMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 69, 18 September 1937, Page 10

NO AGREEMENT

PRINTING DISPUTE

WAGES ISSUE

A MONTH'S OFFER

No agreement on wages was reached in the conciliation council : today in the New Zealand Printing and Related Trades dispute. Mr. M. J. Reardon presided. At the adjournment, a difference of Is 8d per week separated the offer of the employers and the claim of the workers. The employers said they were willing to keep their offer open till October 20. In the meantime, the parties are to make arrangements to secure a date for the hearing of the dispute by the Court of Arbitration. During yesterday afternoon's proceedings, Mr. C. H. Chapman, M.P. (workers' assessor) said that the workers considered that the wage should be £5 10s, but they would consider an The Commissioner: How would £5 7s 6d suit you? The following offer was made by the employers:—An increase of 2s 6d a week to adult males employed five j days a week; an increase of 5s a week j to adult males in class 1 employed six J days a week, and 2s 6d to those in class 2; night allowance to be 10 per cent., with a maximum 'of 10s and 5s for j all workers, including piece workers; cast-up for all piece work to be as in the employers' counter-proposals; classification as in the old award; reduced hours to operate as from the first working week commencing on or ( after September 27.

The council adjourned, and resumed this morning, when' the following suggestion, made by Mr. J. M. Hardcastle (employers' assessor) was agreed to:— "The parties agree that the difference in wages for classes 1 and 2 in the 1936 award should bo maintained in the new award."

Discussing wages, he said that the employers could not increase their offer beyond £5 ss, and could not agree to an all-round increase of ss.

Mr. H. C. Lord (workers' assessor) said that they were affiliated to the Federation of Labour, which had a I policy, and they would be letting down a lot of workers if they. accepted the employers' offer. Mr. R. H. Billens (employers' assessor) : Is the policy of the federation different from the policy of the Government? Mr. Lord: No. ; The Commissioner remarked that the federation had been content to let the matter go to the Court. Mr. Hardcastle: We are being forced into the Court as much as you (the > workers) are. We would prefer aj complete agreement. Mr. Lord has unintentionally disclosed the position that you" are not free to make a settlement. Mr.- E. W. Clarkson (employers' agent) asked whether the workers' hands were tied by instructions. Mr. Lord replied that they were quite free to make a settlement. COURT'S PROBABLE ACTION. *".,^he Commissioner said that he did not ;iliink that the Court would be logical if it went beyond £5 ss. He asked the parties whether they would consider a straight-out all-round increase of £5 6s 8d with: a view to making a settlement. Mr. Clarkson replied that the employers had definitely gone the limit. Mr. Baxter, said that under the circumstances there' was no alternative but to put the matter before the Court. Mr. Clarkson: All right. Mi-. B. C. Jacobs (employers' assessor) referred to the position of the small printer, who, he said, could only meet the increase out of his own pocket. Personally, he would not oppose the extra Is Bd, but others could not afford it. His business had had an increased turnover of 9 per cent, and a decreased profit of 32 per cent. ■ Mr. H. J. Tubbs (employers' assessor) said that the 40-hour week"' would be a hurdle to the small printer. Mr. Chapman suggested that one scale of wages should operate for six months, after which another scale should operate. Mr. Clarkson said that returns showed that wages in the printing industry were the highest of any industry. ■ ■■■■■:■■■■■'. •-..:

. The final claim made by the workers was for a weekly wage in class 1 of £5 6s Bd, with proportionate increases in class 2; and an adjustment of the wages for unskilled workers on the basis of 2s 3d (equal to £4:10s weekly). They asked jthat the method of computation for piece operators," and the night rate be referred to the Court. They also asked for a definition of stereotypers' work. : ' EMPLOYERS'REPLY. The claims were considered by the employers, who made the following reply;— "We suggest that during the next few weeks the Court will give, by making awards, : an indication of its policy regarding the relation between weekly wages and its rates for casual employment. We offer to hold the .employers' final proposals open for acceptance until October 20. By that date, the workers' assessors will have had an opportunity to decide whether to accept our proposals or to take their case to the Court. The employers are prepared to submit to the Arbitration Court the question of cast-up and night rates for piece operators only. The questions of wages for general hands, and the definition of stereotypers' work will be further considered, and, if necessary, referred to the Court.

Mr. Baxter pointed out that such a course would result in the matter being held up.

The Commissioner: I may be wrong, but I feel that that is the end of an impex-fect day.

Mr. A. Dennison (employers' assessor) said that the suggestion gave the employees an opportunity of testing out their theory 'on the Court's pronouncement. •• ■

Mr. Baxter: In the meantime you leave us no alternative but to put these matters before meetings. He stressed the difficulty in getting a successful meeting at night time, especially when men lived in isolated places.

Mr. Hardcastle said that employers were in the same difficulty in getting representative meetings when isolated members were concerned.

Mr. Clarkson (to Mr. Hardcastle): I think you have missed Mr. Baxter's

point. Mr. Hardcastle: No I haven't.

In the course of further discussion. Mr. Hardcastle pointed out that £5 6s 8d would be cheaper for the newspapers, but they did not think that it was fair to take Is 8d off.the newspapers and load it on the commercial printers.

Mr. Baxter said that his side preferred that the matter be referred to the Court in the ordinr/y way so that a date for a hearing could be secured.

The Commissioner remarked that that would not prevent the workers making overtures in the interim.

Mr. Baxter said that the matter could be submitted to his members, and in the event of it being satisfactory, the dispute could be withdrawn.

Mr. Cla.rkson said' that the matter

could be mentioned to the Court in Auckland on Monday.

Mr. Hardcastle: We will not raise any technical difficulties at all.

The Commissioner said he would make a draft of what had been agreed on, and when the matter went to the Court it would be just as well to have as few matters as possible.

At the conclusion of the sitting Mr. Chapman expressed, on behalf of the workers, appreciation of the Commissioner's services. His remarks were endorsed by Mr. Hardcastle,, speaking for the employers. ,