TAXI TELEPHONISTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939, Page 11

TAXI TELEPHONISTS

AWARD ISSUED

EXEMPTIONS REFUSED

The award for taxi ~telephonists and switchboard; attendants (workers substantially engaged in. receiving, telephoned orders for taxi-cabs) provides that seniors shall; receive £4 5s perweek and .senior females £2 5s per week. Males are to receive; front 20s in the first, half-year to £4 ss-in the seventh year, and females from 15s per week to 45s in the fifth year and thereafter £2 ss, with varying wages according.to the age at which employment is commenced. Switchboard attendants are to -be paid additional! The hours are to be; 88 per fortnight, with a maximum of 50 per week without overtime. Shifts are provided for. Each worker is to receive an annual holiday of three weeks on full pay for each year of service. The award, as regards wages, comes into force as from November 1. 1938, and expires on March, 9. 1940. PARTIES NOT CITED. The following memorandum by his Honour Mr. Justice O'Regan is appended:— "Application for exemption was made by three companies who objected to the provisions of the award as these would affect their operations; they also contended that, as they had not been cited nor had any opportunity of taking part in the proceedings, they should not be bound by terms and conditions agreed to in their absence. "On the evidence given on behalf of the companies the Court is unable to find any grounds for granting them exemption; they carry on a similar business in a similar f way to that of other companies bound by the award and are in competition with them. It is a matter for comment, however, that several well-known companies were not cited in the proceedings; indeed, only one party in each industrial district was cited. It may be true that all members of the Taxi Owners' Association knew of the proceedings, but the fact. that what is known as the 'blanket clause' will bind all parties in the industry, whether cited or not, should not be taken advantage of to avoid citing at least a reasonable number of representative parties. Wages have been made payable retrospectively in accordance with the agreement of the parties,"