Conciliation Council.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3719, 16 November 1926, Page 3

Conciliation Council.

SHEPHERDS, MUSTERERS, .AND

DROVERS

A sitting 1 of the .Conciliation Council was held in ,Dunedin on Thursday 4th inst to consider .the dispute, oetwoeii tire Otago and Southland shepherd's, musterers, and drovers, and the Otago and Southland she ope wrens.

Mr W, 11. Hagig'er presided as Conciliation Commissioner, and Messrs A. P. O’Kane (Gore), 0. E. Baldwin (Christchurch), and W, Herbert appeared 1 as assessors for itho workers), and Messrs J, W. Miller (Queenstown), j. McKenzie ,(Mt. Nicholas, Queenistown), Dickson Jardine (Ka-war.au Falls, Queenstown), and Mr A, S. Cookson (agent), represented the employers.

The statement of claims showed the following demands-Musterers, £5 per week, or £1 5s per day, land £1 5s for Sunday work; packers, £4 2s 6d per week, or £1 per day, and £1 for Sunday work; musterers or packers engaged in snow raking, £2 per day while engagfed in that work. Youths learning mustering, in addition to hoard and lodging' for first year £2 per week, second year £2 10s par week. Drovers, £1 10s penday and all necessary expenses. The provisions of the award to apply to any worker who is employed regularly as a farm or station .hand and who assists in mustering or does packing for musterers.

The employers submitted the exist in-g award as the counter claims.

M]r Baldwin said the claims did not differ greatly from the existing award, except as regarded rates of wages, and the- clause dealing with permanent hands on the station. Mr O ookston said the employers (regarded these clauses as very important Payment for Sunday work was also regarded as important

Mr Baldwin said that on some stations packers were, paid for Sunr

day work, but some station owners had refused to pay for this class of work. He was anxious that an. agree, ment should be come ,to by the Conciliation Council. Those sitting round the table were practical pien and thoroughly understood the position, ft would be far better for them to settle the question without going l to the Arbitration Court, Mr Cookson said the three assessors) for the employers were all practical men. The employers were prepared to come, to gm agreement for an extension of the present award. At one time musterers were, pm gaged lor two or three; weeks at a time, whereas when high wages were demanded the period of work was reduced, and it did not work out to the advantage of the employee. Mr Baldwin said he knew men living in Dunedin who had to keep up a team of dogs and a horse, the value of which altogether was at least £7O or £BO.

Mir Cookson said the employers were, not prepared fie consider any increases, in wages.

Mr Jardine said there .wei-e days an d' days on which the men welrc id leas the result of fog and other .climatic conditions, and they had to be. paid for these off days. Mr Baldwin said the men had got to live. i •

Mir Milter said iiis experience was that when wages went jup all sorts of incompetent men and inexperienced youths went looking for jobs l This was of no advantage to either party. < t Mr Jardine considered that mustering was a good clean life. A man could wear old clothes and was govern the best of food It was not an industry which demanded a high rate of pay.

With regard to snow-raking, Mr Jardine wanted to know the definition

of the team, Ha knew of a ease where four or five men were stuck in their tents-for four pr live days owing' to a snowstorm, and they had to- be paid during all that time* although they did no- work. He knew man who had mustered in six or eight inches of snow, 'but he did not look upon that as snow-raking, , Mr Miller said that when mem. were knocked off as the result of bad weather they not only had to bo paid, but two sheep* per clay had to ho found for each man to feed Ills dogs He contended that the union was up against their own hands in asking for such exorbitant wages, Mr Baldwin appealed to the employers to come to an agreement. Mr Jardine said the employers’ assessors did not have* a free hand. They were only ropresentativels. Mr Gookson said the industry could not stand any increase in the* rate of wages, it was an inopportune time to ask for an award as linen, 'w.eroi now being engaged,. Mir Baldwin agreed that the* award should expire in June,. After further discussion it was clear that no decision with regard ■to wages could be arrived at. The employers stood fast on £4 ,2s (id per week (for (musterers* and £1 10s to £2 [per week for youths. The clauses with regard to conditions were agreed to, but the clauses* relating to packers and p-cirma-' neat hands were* referred to the court. It was agreed that the* award should expire in June*, 1928. The council then adjourned.