PLASTERERS' DISPUTE

Evening Star, Issue 19276, 15 June 1926, Page 6

PLASTERERS' DISPUTE

OONCSLfATISH CeUKGIL PROCEEDINGS

Mr \V. H. Haggcr (Conciliation Commissioner) sat this morning in connection with the Otago operative plasterers’ dispute. .The assessors were : For the union: Messrs W. Leitcb, D. Simpson, and A. Young, with Mr J. Robinson as agent. For the employers: Messrs W. J. Ashton, H. C. Anderson, and C. A. Wardrop, with Mr A. S. Cookson. , , , The main danse in dispute was that relating to wages. The existing minimum rate is 2s lsd per hour for journeymen plasterers, ‘is per hour for journeymen fibrous plasterers, and for fibrous plaster casters Is 8d per hour, with an additional bonus of lid per hour. The statement of claim provides for Ms ,‘fd for journeymen plasterers, ami is Sd for fibrous plaster casters. A claim was made for 10s per week increase in respect, of youths. The union also asked for a forty-hour-week, with no work on Saturdays, instead of a forty-four-hour week. Tile counter-proposals were in terms of the existing award. .It was agreed that the clause referring, in tho old award, to “two classes of labor, journeymen and apprentices,” should bo deleted, and a clause inserted reading: “A journeyman is one who has been at least five years at tho trade, and no other shall bo employed to do internal or external plastering.” That portion of the claim covering “definition of work,” reading: “No member of the union shall cover anv lathing (which means wood, metal, or any other patent lathing), or finish any work that lias not been done by a bona lido plasterer,” was left over lor further discussion, Mr Cookson pointing out that tho court, had previously^struck out such a clause on its attention being drawn to it. In the matter of the claim for an increase in wages, tho union’s demands, said Mr Robinson, were based first on the increase of CM per cent, over the 1913 cost of living standard, and, secondly, to cover the loss entailed by the workers by the failure of the court to grant in 1922 an increase commensurate with the actual increase in the cost of living. Mr Robinson contended that this loss (calculated at £39 per man) .should be refunded in the form of an addition based on the claim now made.

The Commissioner suggested that the union might express willingness to consent to tho increase of Id per hour already granted by the court elsewhere, to be spread over all classes of labor involved. It was scarcely worth while putting the claims now made before the court.

Tin's clause, too, was passed over in tho meantime.

Tho claim for a forty-hour week aroused a good"deal of discussion, it being pointed out that a reduction of the hours would allcot other brandies of labor. No definite agreement was come to during the morning.

Minor clauses dealing with overtime, holidays, and suburban work were agreed to, and the council adjourned til! the afternoon.