CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 19004, 28 July 1925, Page 6

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

MUSICIANS' DISPUTE A sitting of the Conciliation Coiin* cil was held this morning to hear tho dispute between Picture Theatres, Ltd., Thomas A .O’Brien, N.Z. Picture SnpThomas A. O’Brien, New Zealand Supplies, Ltd., and B. and J. Fuller, Ltd., and tho Dunedin Performing Musicians’ Union of Workers. The Commissioner (Mr W. Dagger) presided. Iho assessors for tho applicants were Messrs A .S. Cookson (agent), K. U Thomas, J. Hamer, and P. Braithwaite, and for the employees Messrs E. Kerr (agent), J. L. James, and T. Dallas. , ... , . The following are the chief claims made by the applicants:— Wages.—(a) Performers employed in Dunedin at travelling theatrical performances, including operatic, dramatic, comedy picture etc., shall he paid, in tlie case of performers with less than two years experience, at the rate of £2 15s; and in the case of performers with over two years’ experience at the rate of £3 13s per week for any six performances during any week. Additional performances shall be paid for at the rate of ]os for each performance. (h) Performers at permanent vaudeville or variety shows shall he paid, in the case of performers witii less than two years’ experience, at tho rate of £2 ss, and) in the case of performers with 'over two years’ experience at the rate of £3 5s for any seven performances during any week. Additional performances shall he paid for at the rate of ].os for each performance. _ (c) Performers at permanent night picture entertainments shall be paid, in the case of performers with less than two years’ experience, at the rate of £2, and in the case of performers with over two years’ expcreincc at tho rate of £2 10s, for any six performances averaging not more than two and three-quar-ter hours for each performance, during any week. Performers shall be paid at' the rate of 5:? for the first performance after six nights have been completed in any week, and for each subsequent performance in any such week at the rate of 10s, (d) Performers employed in continuous picture theatres shall be paid for six afternoon performances of three hours each at the rate of £2 per week; for six evening performances of three hours each at'tlie rate of £2 Ids per week; for six afternoon and evening performances of throe hours each, or six hours per day, in the case of performers with less than two years’ oxeprience, 2s per hour, and in tho case of performers with over two years’ experience 2s 3d per hour; afternoon performances not exceeding two and three-quarter hours, £2 10s per week. j Rehearsals.—(a) In theatrical and | vaudeville entertainments rehearsals shall not exceed seven hours during each week, and shall he given free or charge. There shall not ho more than throe rehearsals in one week, and the 1 third shall he arranged to he held between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7. In all other cases rehearsals, which shall he given free of charge, shall not exceed four hours per week. , j Overtime. —Where any workjs per--1 formed in excess of the hours fixed by the award it shall, except where otherwise sepcified, be paid for at the , rate of 5s per hour. ! Tho employees in their counterclaims asked for £6 weekly for six performances, increasing to as as £l4 for twelve performances or rehearsals.

Only a few minor matters were agreed to at the morning sitting, most of the claims being referred to the Arbitration Court. The wages clauses were left over for consideration until this afternoon.