ARBITRATION COURT

Evening Star, Issue 20316, 26 October 1929, Page 20

ARBITRATION COURT

lII3USTBIAL DISPUTES The Arbitration Court has filed its decision in the Dunedin City Corporation linesmen and linesmen’s assistants’ dispute, the interpretation of tho court being as follows: — 1. (a) “Linesmen’s work” shall mean and include the complete installation of overhead and underground electric light mains from tho supply station to the' point - of connection to the consumer, and the erection and eounecting-up of trans formers and street lamps; (b) “ linesmen’s _assistants’ work” shall mean and includo the carrying-qut of all necessary work' in assist.ng linesmen and under their direction. Any gang composed of five men or more shall contain two linesmen. 2. (a) The minimum rate of wages for linesmen shall bo 2s 2jd per hour ; (b) the minimum rate of wages for linesmen’s assistants shall be ‘2s per hour; (c) the. minimum rate of wages for helpers in power stations shall be 2s per hour, and for battery charging station attendants 2s 2£d "per hour. Other clauses provide for dirty work, overtime, holidays, suburban and country work. Dirt money at the rate of Is per • day or portion of , a day shall be paid for all work done by any worker covered by the provisions of the award in storage battery work, or on such other work as may* be mutually agreed upon as coming under the term “dirty work.” As an alternative the employer shall supply suitable overalls for such work where required. METAL WORKERS' ASSISTANTS With ■ respect to the -application by the Inspector of Awards for an interpretation of the Otago and Southland Metal Workers Assistants’ award the court states;— “ It is obvious that, though tho overtime clause is not worded as clearly as could be desired, the intention is that overtime shall be computed on a, daily basis. This has always been customary, and the reference to the usual time for commencing work on the following day makes it certain that the framers of the clause did not intend to interfere with ..the existing custom.” BRISK AND POTTERY MAKERS In the matter of an application by the Inspector of Awards for interpretation of the Otago and Southland Brick, Tile, . and Pottery Makers’ award, the court proposes to state a case for the opinion of the Court of Appeal on the question as to (1) whether the provisions of the award as to hours for night kiln burners are contrary to the provisions of the Factories Act, and, (2), if so, whether tho award is to that extent vitiated. Until these questions have been settled tho court cannot give the interpretation applied for, except in so far as tho matter of a separate contract is concerned. In ,the opinion of the court the work,of day workers and the work of night kiln burners are so closelyrelated as to make it impossible to regard time worked on kiln .burning ns the subject of a separate contract or employment, even though in respect of the latter employment special eo::ditions are applicable td night workers.