CAMP WORKERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 December 1933, Page 2

CAMP WORKERS

DISPUTE AT CHARLESTON. While the twenty-five men in the No. 2 Camp on the Westport —•Greymouth road are all out on strike over the payments for their work during the month of November, the twenty-eight, mon at the No. 1 Camp, who are paid at similar rates as those at No. 2, continue to work, satisfied with the conditions. The position at No. 2 Camp is that me

men have refused to operate the crush- ■ er, or to place culverts, or to obtain ; fuel for the camp, unless they are paid standard rates. The primary idea of these camps toi single men, was to give the men comfortable quarters, good food, and a small rate of pay per week, until such time as they could find more remunerative means of employment. Ay 3o ’ in these camps, the men are supplied with blankets, and all main articles of clothing at exceptionally low rates. Special concessions are also made in regard to boots, and quite a numbei ot these have been issued free. The men are entirely free to leave the camps at any time, for more highly paid woik that may be offering. There has never been a complaint as to the accommodation, and the food, since the inception of the camps. The co-operative rates of pay are so fixed that men doing a reasonably fair thing can earn 10/- per week. The rates of pay are adjusted according to the quality of the country the men are working in. Though the men receive only a small rate of pay, the camps are actually costing the Unemployment Board, with the assistance of the Main Highways Board, over 30/per man per week. The men in both camps, according to officers of the Public Works Department, are doing good work, and the improvements to the narrow and somewhat dangerous sections of highway which have been carried out, are obvious to all users of the road. Ihe engineers are satisfied that at the rates the men are getting for the various work, their earnings should have been

considerably higher. The men work 48 hours weekly, and each man would not have to exert himself to earn 10/- weekly. In the publication of figures, which will be accepted as correct, setting out the working hours and earnings of the men at No. 1 Camp, the “Argus” states that the men worked for under 2Jd per hour. The main point missed by the “Argus” is that the men are housed and fed, at a cost to the State of 30/-, or 7Jd per hour. So that they are actually receiving lOd per hour, and not 2M as the “Argus” would have the oeople believe. Another point missed by the “Argus” is the primary object of the camps." All will agree that the rate of pay is low, but it has ever been the same at these camps, which provide a home and food, with a small rate of pay, for single men until such time as'they secure better rates at other employment. , Another point to be considered, is that one camp is satisfied, while the other is on strike, and as both aim at similar rates of pay, it suggests that there are certain individuals with trouble-making propensities.