BUILDING TRADE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 95, 22 March 1939, Page 5

BUILDING TRADE.

WAGES OE LABOURERS. INCREASE OPPOSED. Ter Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 21. The hearing by the Court of Arbitration of the application for a new Dominion award to cover builders and general labourers were continued today. when the case for the applicant union was completed and the ease for the employers partly completed. Eleven witnesses were called for the union, arid three witnesses gave evidence today for tlie employers. The hearing will be concluded to-morrow, when the remaining three witnesses for the employers will give evidence. following which the carjicntcrs’ and joiners' dispute will commence. Dealing with submissions made by Mr P. At. Butler (advocate for the applicant union), Mr W. J. M ountjoy (for the employers) contended that the union was seeking unnecessary classification of workers by claiming that new types of work were ever-increas-ing due to development of new methods in operation iri this schedule. Mr Butler sought 2d an hour above the minimum rate for wheeling barrows on raised platforms and scaffolds, 2d an hour extra for crusher feeders, and an increase for men carrying materials up a height greater than six feet. Mr Mouutjoy said this was work that had been performed bv laliourers on a minimum wage for years. The classifications appeared merely an attempt to secure increases in wages. Australian labourers’ awards were quoted by Air Mountjoy to show that the New Zealand worker was far better off under the current labourers' award. He opposed a weekly rate for builders’ labourers and cited the Public Works Department and others whose labourers were paid on an hourly basis. To introduce weekly rates of pay for the building trade labourers bi New Zealand with its climatic con ditions would result in a serious and unwarranted increase in the cost of production, claimed Air Afountjoy who 11 rged that the Court’s standard ra'r pronouncement of 1937 should he the wages fixed for workers. lie also as’-' d that the terms of the award should be not less than two years.