SADDLERY AND BAGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 5

SADDLERY AND BAGS

DOMINION DISPUTE

EMPLOYERS' PROPOSAL

Agreement on most of the machinery clauses was reached in conciliation council in the Dominion saddlery and bag-making dispute, the hearing of which was commenced today before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. M. J. Reardon). The main questions of wages, hours, and holidays were held over pending consideration by the workers' assessors of a proposal made on behalf of the employers to separate saddlery workers from those engaged in the manufacture of fancy bags and similar goods. .

The assessors for the applicant workers were Messrs. C. E. Salter (Auckland), W. Eade (Wellington), J. Terril (Christchurch), C. W. Campbell (Dunedin), W. T. Cooper (Auckland, and N. R. Paton (Wellington), with Mr. J. Tucker (Wellington) as agent. The employers were represented by Messrs. W. Woods (Auckland), W. Newsham (Auckland), F. J. Evans, (Wellington), S. L. Wright (Christchurch), W. G. Cran (Kaponga), W. J. Stafford (Dunedin), and G. Stevens (Invercargill), with Mr. H. J. Bishop as agent. ' ; ■•

Different degrees of skill were required of saddlery workers and other workers, said Mr. Bishop. He suggested that there should be a separate section in the award for those engaged in the manufacture of fancy bags and similar goods, which were subjected to severe competition from abroad.

,Mr. Tucker said that workers in both categories were tradesmen and had to be fully qualified for their work; therefore there should be no distinction in their wages.

The proposal w^as left for consideration by the workers' assessors during the luncheon adjournment.

On the question of hours the workers claimed a 40-hour week with a free Saturday, and the counter-proposal was for a 40-hour week of five and a half days. „ '

Wages claimed for journeymen and journey women were 3s an hour and £3 5s a week respectively. The employers offered 2s 6d an hour for journeymen and £2 5s for journeywomen. J • . . '