WORK AND WAGES

Grey River Argus, 21 May 1938, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES

Fruit and Produce Stores AGREEMENT REACHED. I Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 20. A complete settlement was reached in the Conciliation Council, in the industrial dispute of storemen and packers in the fruit and produce stores in the Dominion. A 40-hour five-day week was agreed to, with a maximum day of nine hours, but it was also agreed that workers could be employed for an additional four hours weekly at. ordinary rates, on any day of the week. Provision was made for shift workers, but shiftworkers engaged between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. are to receive Is extra per extra shift. No work is to be done before 4 a.lm. The wage, £4 10s. was agreed on for storemen and packers over Zl, with 10s extra for the head storeman in charge of two to live, and £1 more for over live workers. Youths’ wages are £1 5s under 17, to £3 2s 6d at -0. The wages are retrospective to Apn 1.

FRUIT EMPLOYEES

The parties were represented as follows: — T . , Employees: Messrs K. L. Laird. W. ( Miller (Auckland), N. Nelson, H. J- , Sweeney (Wellington), CShepherd, ] J. S. Barnett (Christchurch), and W. Herbert (Dunedin). Employers: Messrs A. Donald, E. , Turner (Auckland), F. A. e (Christchurch), W. J. Lovell (Du edin J D. W. McKay (Invercargill), A. Jacobs (Wellington), H. F.Morton (Timaru), and H. J. Bishop (agent). „ The employees sought a 40-hour, five-day week, with a minimum wage of £5 ’ss weekly for storemen and packers, over the age of 21 years, workers in charge of from two to five workers to receive 10s extra, and those in charge of more than five workers to receive £1 extra weekly. They sought a wages scale for youths of from £1 10s weekly for those ( under 17 years to £3 7s 6d weekly for those of 20 years. They asked that cool-store workers be paid Is per hour extra. The suggested wages I scale for females ranged fv m £1 10s weeklv for t'-ose under 17 years of age of £3 7s 6d for those 19 to 20 years of age, and £3 15s afterwards.' A proportion of one female to each ' three male workers was sought. A , wage of £6 weekly was asked for shift workers working in cool ehamb- , ers or freezing chambers. A proportion of one junior to three adult, workers was asked for. Nine public | holidays, and an annual fortnight’s holiday, were sought. It was asked that the wages clauses of the demand should be retrospective to January I 1, 1938. , 1 The employers’ counter-proposals included a 44-hour week, with a maximum of nine hours a day. A

minimum wage of £A-10s weekly was offered for storemen and packers over 21 years of age, with 10s extra for head storemen in charge of from two to five members, and £1 extra if in charge of more than five workers The scale of youths’ wages suggested was £1 5s weekly for those under 17 years of age to £3 2s 6d weekly for those aged 20. The employers sought a proportion of one junior to every two adult workers. Nine public holidays were offered, and one week’s annual holiday.