TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

Grey River Argus, 9 October 1934, Page 3

TIMBER WORKERS’ UNION

WAGES INCREASE. APPLIED FOR. The Westland Timber Yards and Sawmill industrial Union of Workers has made application to the Conciliation Coucil, to hear a dispute between the t’nion ami Ihe employers, in reference to wages and working- conditions, relative to West Coast sawmills. The term of the existing award will expire at an early date, and the t’nion is applying- for a renewal of the award on terms and conditions, (‘specially in the matter of wages, improved on the exist i ng- agreemen I. The minimum rale of wages applied for, and the existing- rale, are as l‘olI'resenl. Applied For. Leading yardman £4 0 0 £5 15 0 Tallyman .. £3 12 0 £4 15 0 Fireman, nightwatchman . . £3 10 0 £4 15 0 Saw doctor .. £5 17 6 £4 16 0 Lorry drivers £4 4 0 £5 10 0 Sawyers, 3 saws £5 0 0 £6 0 0 per day per day Bench sawyer .. 15 2 .18 0 Band sawyer .. 15 0 17 0 Leading- breakerdown .. 14. 0 1G 0 Carriage-man .. 13 0 1G 0 Tailer-out .. 14 0 .16 6 I’Jacksmith or jobber 13 6 1G 6 Docker .. 12 0 15 0 Fiddler .. 13 0 15 0 Alachinist .. 15 0 16 6 Gang sawyer .. 12 0 15 6 Firewood uutt(‘r .. 13 0 16 0 Prop cutter .. 13 0 16 0 Tjjco. driver 15 0 18 0 Traction enginedriver .. 15 0 IS 0 Leading bush man 15 0 18 0 Second bushman .. 14 0 .17 0 Snigger . . 15 0 18 0 Horse Trolleyman 13 0 17 0 Dogger-on . . 14 0 17 0 Winch-driver .. 13 0 17 6 Leading tramway man .. 13 0 16 0 Engine-driver, Ist. 14 0 IS 0 Engine-driver, 2nd 13 0 17 0 Engineer .. 15 0 18 0 Millwright 14 0 18 0 Motor tractor driver ... 14 0 18 0 Engine driver (no ticket) . . 12 6 15 G Other conditions asked for by the Union include: Hours of work not to exceed 44 in any one week, and daily hours not to exceed Shrs 50min.; the time for beginning and ceasing work to be when desired, so arranged as to provide for forty-four hours being worked in five days; overtime to be paid in the case of daily wage workers. at the rate of time and a-half for the first four hours, and double time thereafter; in the case of all other workers, time and a-half; overtime for timber-loading tV be paid for at. the rate of 2/3 per hour. Sixtv-nine mills are concerned with the agreement, and the Commissioner, Air. S. Ritchie, has fixed October 24 as the day. at the Courthouse, Greymouth. for the hearing of the dispute. The wages rates for which tlu 3 Union asks are in practically all v.uses those prevailing before the imposition of the cuts, those ruts having ?‘edu.ced the minimum wage in the industry of 15s per day to Ils 6d ■ per day. Tn a later issue a comparison will be published between the uncut rales and those which th* I'ni'on is now seeking, showing the’” genera] similarity.