LEADING HANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 132, 7 June 1939, Page 19

LEADING HANDS

NELSON GASWORKS DISPUTE

JUDGMENT AGAiNST COUNCIL

(6y Telegrapli--:']?reft£ -Association.) . / . .. :: ' :NELSON, June 6. ; In a case brought .by... the: inspector of factories against the; Nelson City Council, alleging" breaches, of the New Zealand ..'Gasworks Employees': Award: in regard to; payment of wages to five men carrying out the-idiities of leading ' hands,) 'Mr.; '. T^E^Ma'unsell, S.M., gave a; feserved-y:jttdgmettt for. the plaintiff. ;. ■'■■ f^-i-^y- '

The, Magistrate said itv%as^ : iiotya case of any attempt at evasidn! .of ithei: council's obligations and, therefore, "he would' impose a.penalty,of only. £1 ss. The; Magistrate;; said: proceedings were taken for' the purpose of obtaining a ruling from the: Court upon a' bona fide dispute that;iiiias,,:arisen; as to whether the five men .are "entitled to extra hourly wages, a^ being leading hands. The council contends; that they have not been appointed leadiii^ hands arid are not so in fact, There; are only two men> on each shift, ; ;^i; : ;V; .'■-■.•

■; "In my opinion^ the men: are-leading hands, for \; the foll6winngV reasons: (1) The' award .presupposes jthat in": horizontal retorts, ' with power > stoking machines, there will be^ a leading; hand, and,provides for a greater:increase of wag;es than in. the case:,'<o£:stokers in charge of the two other clasges of .horizontal' retorts.1. ,(2), These -me^J have to look aftei* the steam! boiler^ f^ic1; which they have to have a certificate from the Marine Department; they;.- :a?e ; Responsible for the- quality and' quantity of gas, have, to decide^ How. ttahy; charges should be made during their respective shifts, ahd are itl eh ar"g6'; ':,pi- the : ex-; hauster. They also look aiiei other machines.- The second ; niatt;on shift devotes most of his timeiih, the retort house and does riot touch ariy machinery except the -charging and discharging machine;. He does ip.dti(. require to have a certificate.. V.]Vtr;St6keisr considers that these men require a higher standard of skill than their mates, and Mr. DbWnes says they would; be' looked to if 'anything :,;\verit wrong* with the gas as regards Quality or (Juantitir. • (3) The council appears! to accept the1 proposition that dual cdntrol' oil> shifts is undesirable, and the agreement in force before the award containfcV this Clause, 'One stoker, in reach shift, to be appointed by the engineer, shall be recognised,, as 'leading stoker Of his shift, and, as such, shall receive instructions on behak of th^ shift; and, subject to; the direction of the engineer or foreman, shall exercise control ovef the direct work of the' shift.'

"There is conflict in evidence as to whether thes;e,; meh;/or •any. of them were.. appointed leading stokers: under this clause, but at least it was recog^ nised by the council that there;should be a leading stoker in each shift, I uphold the department's contention, but the case clearly calls for a nominal penalty." ; .'': " . ' • ■ >.-;