COACHBUILBERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 82, 7 April 1938, Page 11

COACHBUILBERS

ADJOURNED DISPUTE

SKILL OF ASSEMBLERS

The adjourned dispute between the New Zealand Federated Coach and Motor Body Builders and Related Trades Industrial Association of Workers and the New Zealand Federated Coach and Motor Body Builders Industrial Association of Employers was resumed in conciliation council yesterday before the Commissioner (Mr. M. J. Reardon).

The assessors for the applicants were Messrs. H. W. MacCready (Wellington), D.' McGill (Wellington), P. E. Stanlake (Wellington), W. Clothier (Christchurch), S. Penticoste (Christchurch), L. Jones (Papanui), and L. Glover, agent.

The employers' assessors were Messrs'. S. Frickleton (Lower Hutt), T. H. Turvey (Petone^ R. D. Wright (Petone), H. Stevens (Christchurch), G. B. Steel (Christchurch), j. E. Hunt (Wellington), and W. J. Mountjoy, agent.

It was decided that 40 hours per week be observed between 7.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on five days in Ashburton, Christchurch, Dannevirke, Eastbourne, Greymouth, Hastings, Lyttelton; Lower Hutt, Feilding, Masterton, Napier," Palmerston North, Petone, Eangiora, Riccarton, Sumner, Timaru, Wanganui, Wellington, and Westport, in all other districts the 40 hours are to be worked behveen 7.30 a.m. and 5 pjn. on five days, and between 7.30 and noon on Saturday, eight hours to constitute a day's work.

The discussion centred round the definitions of workers and the wages question in relation to skill. For the workers it was contended that assemblers performing only one set task attained an even greater degree of skill than those not in mass production shops.

The' employers made an offer of hourly rates of pay of 2s 9d for journeymen, 2s 7£d for assemblers, and 2s s£d for helpers, but the objection was taken to this that, as assemblers were really highly-skilled workers, they were entitled to more.

The employers pointed out that journeymen had to serve a five years' apprenticeship, whereas assemblers could learn their work in a very short time.

The Court adjourned until 10.30 am today. .

When the hearing was resumed today, Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, on behalf of the employers, made the following amended proposals:—That coachbuilders (woodwork), painters, blacksmiths, vicemen, panel beaters, machinists, and trimmers be paid 2s 9d per hour, junior helpers to receive from 22s 6d for the first six months to 57s 6d in the sixth year, thereafter 2s 5d per hour, the minimum rate for assemblers to be 2s 7£d per hour.

"For the purpose of the award assemblers in mass-production factories are adult workers who are substantially engaged at work necessary in the. assembling of standardised parts of motor vehicles (other than mechanical parts)," continued the employers' proposals. "The work of an assembler shall include the necessary preliminary work to lacquering and including lacquering other than the finishing coats. An assembler trimmer shall be permitted to tack in and assemble ready-cut and sewn materials. An assembler in a Customs-builtshopisa worker engaged' exclusively in • as-

sembling standardised wood and iron parts of motor bodies, and shall use the following tools only to the extent required by such work: hammer, saw, paring-chisel, gimlet, brace and bit, screwdriver, screwdriver-bit, punch, fire cramp, and wrench, and planes for fitting; female workers may be employed in trimming shops where mass production is carried on, and their operations shall be limited so as not to include machinery repair work or renovations, at from 15s per week for the first six months to £2 5s for the seventh six months, thereafter £2 10s, female machinists to receive from £2 for the first six months to £2 15s for the third six months, thereafter £3.

Mr. L. Glover, for the workers, suggested that journeymen and specialists should form one class, and assemblers and labourers another.

That, said Mr. Mount joy; would bring all labourers up to a skilled stage. Mr/ Glover, asked for 2s 9d for journeymen, remarking that 2s lid was the specialist's rate in many awards at present. The employers could not go up beyond 2s 9d, said Mr. Mountjoy. The Commissioner (Mr. M. J. Reardon) remarked that Jd an hour for tool money above that rate had been embodied in a Dunedin award. The question of men in foremen's or other responsible positions was discussed, but it was pointed out by Mr. Reardon that this was not the main issue. What the workers wanted was an increase in the pay of the, ordinary man on assembly work. ■ Mr. Glover spoke of the present unsatisfactory position of the trimmers, who roughly comprised one-third of the assemblers, and suggested 2s lOd and 2s 8d for the two classes he had mentioned. The difficulty was, said Mr. Mountjoy, that it was sought to bring the wages of the assembly man in a massproduction shop who, however well he did his particular job, was not qualified to do all work in a Customs-built shop, up to the journeyman standard. The employers' assessors retired and on returning made the offer of 2s 9d for journeymen. 2s 8d for trimmer assemblers, 2s 7d for ordinary assemblers, and 2s 5d for keepers in custom shops, with the junior rates as set out in his proposals. The Court adjourned until the afternoon. .(Proceeding.). ~ ■