BREWERY WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 105, 31 October 1939, Page 11

BREWERY WORKERS

AWARD PROPOSALS

Discussion on a proposed new award for brewery workers in all industrial districts except Nelson, Otago, and Southland began in conciliation. council today, and is expected to continue tomorrow. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. M, J. Reardon) presided.

Mr. N. -Vv Douglas (Auckland) was advocate for the union, and, its assessors were Messrs. A. W. Ralph (Auckland), H. E. Denton (Christchurch), T. Lane (Christchurch), D. Faris Greymouth), K. D. Mines (Wellington), and J. H. Collins (Wellington).

. Mr; W. J. Mountjoy (Wellington) was s the employers' advocate, and the assessors were Messrs.. G. Beresford (Auckland), J. W. Lethbridge (Auckland), C. M. Lagan (Wellington), J. A. Medhurst (New Plymouth), W. L. Dearsley (Christchurch), J. Hewlett (Christchurch) * and T. H. Lee (Reef* ton). .-

The union claimed a 40-hour week. Wages sought were £6 for coopers, £5 15s for headers-up, and £5 5s for all other. workers 21 years of age and over, with an additional 10s a week for malthouse workers. The union asked 15 per cent, additional for casual workers' pay. Double pay was sought for overtime. Eleven statutory holidays and a fortnight's annual holiday on full pay every year were proposed. The employers' counter-proposals suggested a 40-hour week generally with provision in some cases for 44, provided only 36 were worked in the following week, but Mr. Mountjoy asked that that proposal be held over in the meantime. Wages offered by the employers were £4 15s for malthouse labourers, £4 iOs for brewery and bottling-house labourers, £.415s for night cellarmen, £5 8s for coopers, and £2 10s to £3 for youths, with 2s 6d an hour for casual work. Overtime pay was suggested at the rate of time and a half for the first four hours and double time thereafter. Nine statutory holidays and one week's annual holi-j day on full pay were offered. I Mr. Mountjoy said that this would be the first award that could be termed a Dominion award. The employers wanted to make it clear that they were not in a position to offer any increase in wages. They had tried in their counter-proposals to keep as closely as possible to present award conditions. Mr. Douglas said that the union was not prepared to accept the wages offered in the counter-proposals; Discussion is proceeding.