PAPER MILLS

Evening Star, Issue 22688, 30 June 1937, Page 2

PAPER MILLS

EMPLOYEES' CLAIMS COURT TO DECIDE WAGES Including wages and Lours of work, the claims of tho Dunedin Paper Mills Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers were considered at a sitting of tho Conciliation Council at Gore on Monday. Tho commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) presided, and tho following were the assessors :—Employees—Messrs E. Ramage, J. M'Cartney, D. H. Anderson (Mataura), and D. W. Stalker ( Invercargill) ; respondents—tho New Zealand Paper Mills Ltd. (Dunedin), Messrs H. L. Dolamore (Dunedin), J. Hart (Mataura), W. M'Lean (Mataura), and A. S. Cookson (Dunedin). The following were the wages claims of the union;—Machine men, 2s lid an hour; first drierman, 2s fid an 1 hour; second drierman, 2s Gd an hour; hoatermau, 2s lid an hour; heaterman assistant, 2s 8d an hour; cutterman, 2s 8d an hour; ripperman, 2s fid an hour; glazer, 2s fid an hour; first finisher, 2s lid an hour; second finisher, 2s fid an hour; head baler, 2s fid an hour; balers, 2s 8d an hour; boilerman, 2s 8d an hour; kollergang men, 2s 8d an hour; all other adult workers employed in or about the mill, 2s 6d an hour; when only one drierman is required he shall be paid first driennan’s rates; shift workers on all shifts shall be paid 2s a shift; the minimum wage payable to youths under 21 years of age shall be as follows :—First six months, £1 7s Gd a week; second six months, £1 12s 6d a week; third six months, £1 17s 6d a week: fourth six months, £2 2s 6d a week; fifth six months, £2 7s Gd a week; sixth six months, £2 12s Gd a wecik; seventh six months, £2 17s Gd a week; eighth six months, £3 2s 6d a week; ninth six months, £3 7s Gd a week; tenth six months, £3 12s 6d a week; thereafter tho minimum rates for adult workers provided that the basic wage applies when the worker roaches tho age of 21 years. Youths required to work shifts shall be paid tho minimum wage payable to an adult worker doing similar work. Females may be employed at not less than the following rates;—First six months, £1 a week ; second six months, £1 4s a week; third six months, £1 8s a week; fourth six months, £1 12s a week; fifth six mouths, £1 16s a week; sixth six months, £2 a week; fourth year, £2 7s 6d a week; fifth year, £2 10s. Forewoman in charge of room, £2 15s a week.

Other union claims were in respect of hours of work (40 a week), overtime, and general claims.

Counter proposals were submitted by the employers as follow:—Machine men, 2s Gd an hour* first driermna, 2s 3Jd an hour; second drierman, 2a 2id an hour; heaterman, 2s Gd an hour; heaterman assistant, 2s 2Jd an hour; cutterman, 2s 3d an hour; ripperman, 2s 3d an hour; glazer, 2s 3d an hour; head baler, 2s 4d an hour; balers, 2s 2id an hour; boilerman, 2s 3id an hour; kollergang men, 2s 2id an hour ; all other adult workers, 2s 2jd an hour; tho minimum wage payable to youths under 21 years of age shall he as follows:—First_ six months, £1 5s a week; second six months, £1 9s a week; third six months, £1 13s a week; fourth six months, £1 17s a week; fifth six mouths, £2 Is a week; sixth six months, £2 5s a week; fourth year, £2 7s Gd a week; fifth year, £3 Is Gd a week; at tho age of 21 years the minimum wage for adult workers. Youths required to work shifts shall be paid the minimum wage payable to an adult worker doing similar work. Females may bo employed at not less than the following wage:—First six months, 17s Gd a week; second six months, £1 Is Gd a week; third six months, £1 5s Gd a week; fourth six months, £1 9s Gd a week; fifth six months, £1 13s 6d a week; sixth six months, £1 17s 6d a week; fourth year, £2 a week; fifth year and thereafter £2 5s a week.

As the employers’ proposals for hours of work and -overtime coincided with those of the employees, they were agreed to. Wages claims and the question of annual holidays were referred to the Arbitration Court.