CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 22804, 12 November 1937, Page 8

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

THRESHING MILL WORKERS’ DISPUTE The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) sat this morning to hear a dispute between threshing mill and chaffcutter workers and a large number of mill owners and farmers in Otago and Southland. The union was represented by Messrs A. Cook, D. Bourke, J. Little, and W. Herbert (secretary), and tho employers by Messrs R. Walker, A. Craig, A. Roy, J. J. Crampton, and A. S. Cookson (secretary). The union sought the following rates of wages (the employers’ offer, on the basis of the present award, being given in parentheses) : —Minimum rate for ail threshing-mill workers, 2s 4d an hour and found (Is lid an hour and found); header-harvester drivers, 2s lid (2s Cd); other workers, _ 2s 9Jd (2s 4 Jd) ; balers’ rates —drivers 5s 9d a 100 bales of hay; feeder, 5s 3d; other hands, ss; cooks, £5 5s and found. The union asked for a 40-hour week, with work ceasing at noon on Saturdays, and no one to work by moonlight or artificial light The employers suggested that tho hours of work should remain at between 6 a.m and 8 p.m., except on Saturdays, when the hours should be between 6 a.rn. and 6 p.m. in stocks and 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. in stacks, 39 minutes extra to be allowed to finish a set or paddock. After an informal discussion agreement was reached on all the points at issue except wages, which were considered further this afternoon. The hours of work are to remain as at present.