PRINTING TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1944, Page 7

PRINTING TRADE

TERMS OF NEW AWARD

P.A. AUCKLAND, December 4. The full text of the agreement made by the Conciliation Council in the printing trades dispute in Wellington last week shows that, in addition, to arriving at a full settlement, the council decided to consolidate into one award the contents of the two major awards which have for many years regulated conditions of employment in the newspaper publishing and general printing and stationery manufacturing industries. Subject to ratification by the Arbitration Court, the agreement will come into operation at the beginning of January and will continue in force till December-31, .1946. The council comprised six assessors for both employers and workers. The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. S. Ritchie, presided, Mr. E. W. Clarkson was agent for the employers and Mr. K. Baxter for the workers. The Otago workers' union Wc*s not a party to the dispute. Its district is excluded. from the scope of the agreement, which otherwise applies' throughout the Dominion.

The general increase in wages of 5s a week brings the standard rate for journeymen to £6 3s 2d a week, including cost of living bonus additions, and that for-composing machine operators to £6 11s. The corresponding rates for night workers will be £6 18s lid and £7 6s 9d. Proportionate adjustments have been made in the wages of juniors and females. The lower scale of wages for journeymen employed by newspapers and printing offices in towns of less than 2000 population has been maintained.

Forty hours is fixed as a week's work in all branches of the industry. Each employer may fix the starting and stopping times to suit his business, subject to limits upon the day/s work according to the kind of business. Provision is made for the -working of double shifts/ of which one would generally carry extra . . payment for night work of 3s 6d a .shift or Ass a week.

The holidays clause provides for an annual'holiday of two weeks and eight statutory holidays. If any of the latter, except Anzac Day, falls on a Sunday it is to be allowed on the nexfc working day. One other holiday, such as Anniversary Day, has again been conceded. .