FREEZING WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1938, Page 26

FREEZING WORKERS

DOMINION AWARD

MATTERS IN DISPUTE

The national disputes committee within the industry having been unable to reach agreement, twelve matters arising from the New Zealand Freezing Workers' Award came before the Second Court of Arbitration today for interpretation. The award, except as to the wages provisions, came into force on January 10 of this year. At the luncheon adjournment the . Court had heard the submissions of the parties on six of the questions raised. Mr. Justice Hunter presided, and with his Honour were Mr. V. Duff (employers' representative) and Mr. A. W. Croskery (workers' representative). Mr. C. G. Wilkin, Christenurch, appeared for the employers, and Mr. W. E.LSill, Auckland, for the workers. The first question was whether freezing chamber-"hands at the Longburn Freezing Works on January 17 last were given .the requisite break between the time they completed a period of overtime and their resumption of work at' 7 a.m. the following day. . Mr. Sill said that, having now seen the employers' interpretation, of the overtime provisions, he agreed to it. PAYMENT OF INCREMENTS. The second question related to the payment of the six-monthly increments of 5s each to female workers. At the Smithfield Freezing Works two female employees were receiving £2 10s a week on December 13, 1937, the maximum rate under the old award. They were in their fourth year of service. The Court, was asked whether these workers were entitled to.£3 per week as from December 13, 1937, the date when the new award came into force in respect to wages, or whether they were entitled to obtain this rate by increments of 5s each six months as from December 13. Mr. Sill submitted that the computation should be from the year of commencing of service. On the other hand, Mr. Wilkin's submission was that it was clear that the peak wage should be increased from £2 10s to £3 by half-yearly increments of ss, commencing from December 13. The Court reserved its decision. , The next question the Court was asked to decide was whether the pull-1 ing of wool from skins in the fellmongery department at the Ngahauranga Works prior to 7.30 a.m.,- without payment of overtime, is covered by the "preparatory work" clause of the award. Mr. Wilkin submitted that the work was essentially preparatory work, a view which was not supported by Mr. Sill. , The Court held that this was a question the disputes committee should be able to; settle and referred it back to the committee. The fourth question asked if chilled beef comes within the category pf handling produce in freezing-rooms and cold store "and at wages payable at the rate of 2s 9d; an" hour." It was submitted on beh"alf of- the employees that the beef chillers are neither "freezing rooms" nor "cold stores" and that the rate for handling the beef should be 2s 7d an hour, as for cooling-floor hands. Mr. Sill, for the workers, contended that a chillingroom is a cold store, Decision was reserved by the Court and also in the next case which asked for an interpretation of the "smoko" clause. QUESTION OF RETROSPECTION. 1 The sixth question asked for an interpretation of clause 20 of the award in regard to whether the whole overtime provisions, the special rate for night shift, and the minimum wage clause are retrospective to December 13, 1937. The employers' submission was that retrospective pay was not payable, and that January 10, 1938, was the proper date from which to apply the provisions of the clause. The Court reserved its decision. Other questions for the Court are:— Are workers employed cleaning dress-ing-rooms, loading manure into trucks, stacking bags of manure into the store, working in stores, loading ice into and out of the freezing chamber classed as yardhands or as workers not otherwise specified?; whether in certain circumstances it is competent to pay a permanent weekly hand a weekly wage which might be less than as for the full 44 hours per week at the rate specified in • the award for casual workers? Does the term "manure hand" include all workers from the loading of the digestors to the finished product dn'bagged state, or to those who deal with the, residue from the digestors and from- what point in the process? Is it necessary that a shift worker perform all wjork between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. before being entitled to Is 6d a shift or is he also entitled to the full extra amount should he perform only, say, half or a portion of the shift between the hours specified? Is such extra payment of Is 6d a shift payable as from December 13, 1937, or from the date of the making of the award, /January 10 r 1938? The construction to be placed on the section of the award referring to the rates of pay for chain slaughtering of sheep and lambs. The construction to be placed on the section of the award referring to the rates of pay for workers employed on work connected with the painting of skins on the mechanical table. ■•