INSURANCE WORKERS

Grey River Argus, 6 March 1937, Page 6

INSURANCE WORKERS

Wages and Hours AWARD MADE. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, March 4. The Arbitration. Court —Mr Justice Page and Messrs A. L. Monteith and W. Cecil Prime, employees’ and employers’' representatives respectively —made an award a.t its. sitting to dai governing workers in insurance offices in the Dominion. Mr P. J. Doogan, who appeared foi the employees, said that a complete agreement had been reached at the Concliation Council, but that he would like an amendment, to the holiday clause so that where the anniversary day was not observed as a sta tutory holiday, it could be left to the parties to allot another day. Mr A. S. Cookson, who appeared for the employers-, said that ho win agreeable, and! his Honour said that the necessary clause would be inserted In the award. It was agreed that the clause should take this form: “D any locality where any of the above holidays is not generally observed, another holiday may be substituted by mutual arrangement between the employers and -the union.*’ The award will apply to all members of the indoor clerical staff and inspectors who receive £450 a year or less. Industrial superintendents shall ■be paid not less than £5 a week by way of salary, commission, and/or other payments, and shall be allowed nn annual Jiolidiaj’ as prescribed in the award. Wages are:— Males: First six months, £29; second, £36; third, £4l 45,• fourth, £46 8s; fifth, £5l 12s; sixth, £56 165.; fourth year, £130; fifth, £155; sixth, £180; seventh, £210; eighth, £230; ninth, £255; tenth, £283; eleventh, £295; twelfth, £310; thirteenth, £325. A worker of 21 years or upwards shall receive not. less than £3 16s a week.

Females: First sax ‘months, £29; second, £36; third, £4l 4s; fourth, £46 8s; fifth, £5l ]2s; sixth, £56 1,65; fourth year, £130; fifth, £145; .sixth, £l6O. A worker of 21 years or upwards shall receive not, less than £1 16s a week. Female clerks in life office industrial departments: First six months, £23 8s; second, £2B 12s; third, £33 16s; fourth, £39; fifth, £44 4s; sixth, £49 8«; fourth year, £115; fifth, £125; sixth, £135.

The normal working week shall be Monday to Friday inclusive, and the total hours worked .shall not exceed 371, except, that in special cases an employee may be required to work a greater number of total hours, but uot exceeding 40, without the payment of overtime. All hours worked 'in excess of’ 40 hours a week shall be regarded as overtime and be paid for at the rate of time and a-half for the first four hours on any one day, and double time thereafter.

The award is to operate throughout the Northern Taranaki, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Westland, Canterbury, and Otago and Southland industrial districts and is to remain in force flroni March 1, 1937, to February 2S, 1938.