TAWA FLAT TUNNEL

Evening Star, Issue 19774, 26 January 1928, Page 9

TAWA FLAT TUNNEL

WAGES AND CONDITIONS DISPUTE TRIBUNAL'S DECISION [Pen United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 26. The decision of the tribunal in connection with the Tawa Flat tunnel dispute is issued as follows; — , The parties themselves came to an industrial agreement with regard to all the conditions of employment, excepting as to three matters which have been referred to this tribunal for settlement —namely, wages, travelling time, and the reinstatement of two workers who had been dismissed. At the hearing the employers stated that, with regard to item No. 3, they were prepared to start with a cle/in sheet and re-engage these two men, and ono other, who had' also been dismissed. Two matters were, therefore, left for the tribunal. On these the members of the tribunal had been unable to reach an agreement, and the questions had been left for the decision of the chairman, whose award the parties agreed to accept. The chairman was Mr Page, S.M., and his decision was:— (a) Wages; The main question to be decided is that of wages. There are in existence a number of awards and agreements fixing the minimum rates of wages payable for work somewhat similar to that to be performed on this undertaking. The most relevant of these are the pubhc workers’ agreement of April S, 1927, and the Armstrong, Whitworth agreement of May 12, 1927. The workers in the present dispute claim a substantial increase on the minimum rates fixed in those agreements. In my view no grounds have been adduced justifying an increase in the rates above referred to. The minimum rates of pay Hereafter detailed are fixed by me on the basis of those prevailing in the agreements of 1927 above-mentioned. (b) Travelling time: Having recarl to the fact that, in the absence of huts or other local accommodation, the men are compelled to live some distance from the locality of this work, I think that an allowance towards the cost of transport should he made. I AxMhe amount at Is per man per day. Minimum rates of pay will be; Shovellers, Is lid an hour; machine men, 2s 2d; shift boss, 2s 2d; locomotive driver. 2s 2d; outside men, Is 9Jd. These rates are fixed as the minimum rates. : It will be seen that they are not as high as rates that have already been paid on the job. The contractors state that they have paid rates higher than the minimum, partly to enable them to secure good men and partly to compensate the men for time and cost of travelling to and from the job. I consider that, -with regard to the men already employed, they should suffer no reduction. (c) Safety of the works: The question as to whether the Hutt road approach to the tunnel is in a. safe condition was raised at the hearing. The question is not one that was before this tribunal for consideration, but a memorandum on the matter has been sent bv me to the Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department.