ARBITRATION COURT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 22 October 1912, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

HOTEL EMPLOYEES' UNION

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION

ROTORUA, Oct. 21. The Arbitration Court to-day-heard a demand by the local branch of the Auckland Hotel and Boarding-house Employees' Union, the principal effect of which was for shorter hours and increased pay. Judge Sim commented on the fact that the demands were doublebarrelled. He said it was ridiculousfor the Union to make proposals entirely altering the award in less than two years of the Court fixing the expiring award. When would the unions exercise common sense in approaching the Court and formulate reasonable demands? The evidence for the union was chiefly on the question of allowing a half-holi-day, the Judge stating that it seemed to be proving breaches of the awards for which the proprietors should have been prosecuted in the S.M. Court. For the employers, it was shown that, allowing for additional labor necessitated by shorter hours, a half-holiday and an alternative Sunday off, granting the demands would involve an extra expenditure of £4682 15s, or 55 per cent, on the present wages bill of £6200. Mr Long, for the union, admitted that the demands were made higher- than they expected, as before the Conciliation Commissioner it was often necessary to compromise.

Mr Scott: That is reducing the whole thing to a farce.