PUBLIC WORKS WAGES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 143, 2 June 1936, Page 9

PUBLIC WORKS WAGES

Dissatisfaction at Taupo By Telegraph—Press Association. TAUPO, June 1. The Public Works employees in the Taupo district express concern and dissatisfaction at the application of tne Public Works Workers’ Agreement, 1936. lu the Rotorua and Taupo counties the maintenance of the highways is carried out by the Public Works Department and not by the county councils, as is usual in most other place-’ The wording of clause 31 of the agreement is to the effect that the 40-hour week and increased rate of pay do not apply to ''workmen employed regularly on the maintenance er opera tion of existing works or services—>.» surfacemen ou highways or roads workmen engaged on tho operation and maintenance of hydro-electrio and »r--rigation schemes, tradesmen and others employed on the maintenance, etc., of buildings.” This clause clearly states in effect that the increase in pay and shortening of hours applies to men engaged only on construction work, and tho position in Taupo is that 11 men who have been carrying out work under ins latter heading automatically receive au increase in wages from 1/6 an hour t<« 2/- an hour from to-day and go on to a 40-hour week. The remaining 40 men who are employed as surfaeement. graderdrivers and tradesmen carrying out maintenance work on buildings etc., are not affected by the new agreement and have to carry on at the old and lower rate of pay of 1/6 an hour for the working period of 47 hours s week, as previously. Naturally, the men are bitterly disappointed after looking forward to the improved conditions, and are hopeful that a fresh agreement will be drawn up to meet their case, as several county councils having control of sections of highways have already adopted the new rates and working times. It was also reported in the Press that tho agreement was to apply to all Public Works employees.