PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

Evening Star, Issue 23093, 20 October 1938, Page 21

PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

NEW AWARD Complete agreement was reached at a sitting of the Conciliation Council yesterday in the matter of the Otago and Southland public accountants’ industrial dispute. The commissioner CMr S. Ritchie) presided, and the following were the assessors:—Employers: Messrs G. J. W. Bell, L. M. Satterthwaite, R. C. Burgess, and C. Francis. Employees: Messrs Victor Garfield Brown. Walter Scott Gilkinson, William Lionel Colvin, and Andrew Robert Craigie. The terms of the settlement prpvide that the award shall apply to the calling of “ public accountahts,” and to all assistants employed' in the office of any public accountant, save cleaners, caretakers, or suchlike, or in any other analogous capacity; to those assistants who are subject to a special service agreement made before the date of the making of this award; and to employees in receipt of £350 per annum. The wages of males will be at a commencing rate of £52 per annum, rising to £247 after the eighth year, with an additional £26 per annum upon the employee attaining an accountant’s qualifications. For females the commencing wages will be from 15s per week, rising to £3 5s on the eighth year, with the proviso that no person in receipt of more than the wage fixed shall have her salary reduced while in her present employment. A special condition provides that employers shall do all possible to qualify and train assistants for the profession of accountancy. The hours of work for a normal week will be 37} hours for a five-day week, with the proviso that in special circumstances those hours may be varied, and any time worked in excess of 1,920 hours per year, being the equivalent of 48 weeks at 40 hours a week, shall be paid for as overtime. Provision was made for employees to obtain, without loss of pay, leave to sit any examination connected with accountancy. Provision was also made for the period required to be served in. military training during peace time without any deduction from the employees’ pay. A further provision was made for a fortnight’s holiday with pay, in addition to the special holidays generally observed. For a period of not less than 14 days in the year a provision was made for sick leave on pay. Casual employees will be paid on a basis of the weekly wage plus 20 per cent. The award is from October 1, 1938, until Juno 30, 1939.