LICENSED HOTELS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 89, 12 October 1938, Page 11

LICENSED HOTELS

WORKERS' AWARD

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

A council of conciliation with the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. M. J. Reardon) as chairman was constituted today to consider the terms of a new Dominion award to cover workers in licensed hotels.

The morning was spent in explanatory discussions, agreement being reached on a number of minor clauses and provisions.

Assessors for the employers are Messrs. O. S. Burt (Gisborne), J. M. Coffey (Christchurch), F. J. Fay (Dunedin), J. Griffin (Auckland), M. O'Brien (Otautau), J, Power (Wellington), W. J. Mountjoy (Wellington). Assessors for the eniployees are Messrs. F. G. Young (Auckland), R. A. Brooks (Christchurch), M. J. Kelly (Dunedin), F. O'Sullivan (Wellington), W. F. Campbell (New Plymouth), R. Howarth (Greymouth), and Miss M. Mitchell (Nelson).

Mr. W. J. Mountjoy is acting as advocate for the employers, and Mr. F. G. Young as advocate for the employees.

A suggestion was made at the outset by Mr. Mountjoy that the council should adjourn until after the election as some of the employers found the unsettled conditions on the eve of the poll unpropitious to negotiation. Mr. Young objected, however, stating that, rightly or wrongly, the union considered that the employers were trying to stall the matter until after the election. Personally, he did not think that the election would affect the prospects of a settlement one way or the other, but he could not, nevertheless, agree that an adjournment was necessary. The discussions accordingly proceeded.

The workers are claiming a 40-hour week, to be spread over five days of eight hours, and with a 13-hour break. The employers offer a 44-hour week to be spread over 5& days and with an 11-hour break.

The workers" claims for overtime are for time and a half for the first three and a half hours and double time thereafter. The employers offer time and a half rates for the first four hours and double time thereafter. The holiday claims by tlie workers are for a fortnight's annual leave and two full days off in each seven. Tlie employers offer one week and two days' annual leave and one and a half days off in every seven. Special holidays asked by the workers and not conceded by the employers are Anzac Day, January 2, and Anniversary Day. In their wages scale, the employees asked for an all-round increase, the employers offering the present award scale