TEA-ROOM WORKERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 November 1923, Page 4

TEA-ROOM WORKERS

. - AN AWARD ASKED FOR. The provision of an award, for the Greymouth Hotel and Restaurant Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers was applied for by the Union to-day before Air W. Newton, Conciliation. Commissioner, when 39 firms throughout the West Coast were cited. A peculiar feature was that the racing and trotting clubs were cited. AH of the clubs objected to their inclusion in the citation. An award is already in force for- the hotel-workers, but the restaurant employees were not hitherto covered by an award. The assessors were : —For the employers, Messrs G. B. Harker, D. J. Evans, and T. Slee, with Mr B. L- Hammond as agent; for the Union, Messrs R. A. Brooks and J. Goodall. Mr Hammond said that the club’s objected to their inclusion, because they were not regular employers of restaurant employees. Many of the clubs themselves desired to have the tea-rooms. The women employed there were either girls or married women who wished to add to their pocket money. They were not regular restaurant employers, and it was unfair to the clubs that they should be bound down to regard them, as such. , The question of the inclusion of the clubs and also the wages clause, were deferred, and the conditions discussed. It was agreed that wages should be paid weekly or fortnightly by agreement. Forty-eight hours’ notice bn either side was agreed upon, with the usual proviso regarding dismissal for misconduct, etc. Overtime rates as in the Christchurch award were agreed upon, except that the rate shall "be time and a-half and double time- after four hours. The board and lodging clause, providing for two substantial meals per working day, in lieu of which he shall pay a shilling per day extra if he provide only one meal, and 2/- per day if he provide none, was agreed upon. Special uniforms outside of aprons and facings, it was

agreed, should be laundered by the employer and remain his property. The probationery period was fixed at three months. The preference clauses were agreed to, but the employers took exception to the clause requiring that employers should, if requested by the organising secretary of th© Union, supply him with a list of the names of the members of the staff. In reply to Mr Brooks, Mr Hammond said that the employers would agree to the clause if a restriction of twelve months were allowed. Mr Brooks suggested three months, but Mr Hammond said he would not

a be prepared to agree to less than six . months. Finally a period of six ■- months was agreed upon, and th© :- whole clause consented to. Regarding the scope of the award, which the Union suggested should operate throughout the Westland In--1 dustrial District, Mr Hammond said 3 he would agree to it provided the rac- • ing clubs were excluded. (Proceeding.)