CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18413, 20 May 1920, Page 8

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

CHRISTCHURCH TAILORING TRADES. The Conciliation Council met yesterday to consider a dispute between the Christchurch Tailoring Trades’ Union and several cm i ployers. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr W. H. Hagg-er) presided. The employees’ assessors wore Mrs E. M. Charters, and Messrs F. R. Cooke and C. ,T Winter, and employers’ assessors Messrs F. W. Hobbs, F. B. Creswell and TV. A. Thomas. Miss A. Cook appeared as the employees' agent, and Mr F. Cooper as the employers’ agent. The employees asked for -It hours a week instead of 48, and for the following increases in wages:—Weekly—Mon, from £3 15s to .65; females, from £3 3s to £3 10s. PieceworkMen, from Is 2d to Is 3d on hour; females, from lOd to Is 2d an hour. Work by the clock—From Is 6d to 2s Gd an hour. Overtime:—Maks—Weekly hands, from 6 p.ra. to 9 p.m. time nnd a half, after that double time; from G a.m. to 8 a.m., time and a half; pieceworkers, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Is an hour extra, and thereafter 2s an hour extra; from S a.m. to 8 a.m.. Is an hour extra. Work after 1 p.m. on weekly halfholiday—Weekly hands, double time; pieceworkers Is 6d an hour extra. Female workers -Two-thirds the rates for male pieceworkers. Increased wages were asked for apprentices. Mr Cooke said that the demands were based on the increased cost of living. He quoted prices of 3iiits, boots, groceries, coal, gas, tea and other necessaries in justification of increased wages. Tho Commissioner said that Mr Cooke’s quotations did not correspond with the Government statistician's figures. Mrs Charters said that the Government statistician’s figures had been proved to be incorrect. Air Hobbs said that Mr Cooke's quotations wore unreliable. For instance, ho was absolutely wrong when lit said that tho prico of six guinea suits had increased since the beginning of tho war to sixteen guineas. The statement was absolutely untrue. A tailor here and there might get sixteen guineas for a suit for which he got only six guineas previously, but that increaso certainly was not general. Tho increase of tho six guinea sun of pre-war times in Christchurch was up to twelve guineas, or thirteen at the outside. Mr Cooko said that his quotations were based on household accounts. Mr Hobbs said that the employers were ready to meet any increase in tho cost < f living as soon as it was set out by some re oognfsod authority. The only recognised authority at present was the Government statistician, in conjunction with the Arbitration Court. The employers would not consent to any variation in the present conditions unless it wrs directed by the Court. There was only ono exception to that, namely, apprentices’ wages; the employers recognised that apprentices wore not as well paid as they should be. It was waste of time to go on with the dispute before the Conciliation Council., and the Court alone must settle tho conditions throughout the Dominion. Mr Cooke, in reply to the Commissioner, said that the union would not modify its demands. The dispute was referred to the Court.