CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18412, 19 May 1920, Page 9

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

BAKERS AND PASTRYCOOKS. The Conciliation Council met yesterday to (further oonsidor a dispute brought by th* North Canterbury Bivkera' aud Pastrycooks' Union against several employers. ALr W. H. Hagger presided, 'i'ho employees' aasossors iv.'io Messrs J. Wilson, P. Dunn and T. Mason, and the employers' aufossora Messrs h\ H. Hawkor, 11. Bruce itnd E. M. Hawkins. Mr C. K. Boon appeared as the employers' agent. At ;v previous sitting thei employers' assessors declined the wages detiiauda, and the hearing was adjourned to enable other employers to bo consulted. The wair»3 demanded are:—Bakers, £5 a week; whore doughs are made by hand, £5 10s; journeym«ii* pastrycooks, £o 3s Cd. Mr Boon said that the muster bakers'weia in a different position from that of most employers, as the price of bread was fixed' by the Board of Trade, and tho bakers could not pass additional wages on to the public. Thn demands represented an increase generally} ot 25 per cent in wagon, from £4 to Tho Commissioner said that, Although the pnoi; ot Dread had been fixed for sis months from tho proscni dato, the Board of Trade could niter it at any time il tho employers affiled to pay increased wages. Mr Brace s*id that a Dominion nward was ronteroplated by tho employers. Discussing hours, Mr Dunn said that the employes asked for forty-four a week, and [ov .not moro than eiqht hours a day without overtime pay. At present they worked for ton hours on one day, and were recompenseidi for tho extra hours by time off on) another day, but they objected to that arrangement. Tho long Saturday of ten hours should be abolished. Tho employers, after a urivato conference of about an hour and a half, declined an offer by the employees to forgo all other demands and continuing present conditions, if the ■■'•."res clo'nindu were granted. Th«\ (vmirn•'•■*-

sooner said that tho employers felt that tha wa"es rraestlon and all other points in dispute- should bo referred to the Arbitration Court. ... The Commissioner said that the position wa« unsatisfactory to him, and that ho would sand the whole dispute to.tho Court.