Printers' Award Revised After Seven Years

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1944, Page 4

Printers' Award Revised After Seven Years

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Complete agreement was reached yesterday by the Conciliation Council appointed to consider the dispute in the newspaper publishing and printing industries. The agreement provides for an increase of 5/- a week in the wages of journeymen, with corresponding adjustments of other wages, and proposes that the award should have a term cf two years. The previous award was made as a result of an agreement in October, 1937 Claims for a new award were made shortly before the outbreak of war. When the Conciliation Council met in October, 1939. workers’ representatives proposed tnen that the council should be adjourned sine die, and as a result the last award had been in operation for seven years. The council was occupied for nearly three days in making an exhaustive examination of the provisions cf the award, and numerous amendments were made to bring the award into harmony with the changes in industrial conditions that have occurred .during the war period. The hours clause was amended to fix a 40-hour week in all branches of the industry, with provisions for variations of working hours according to requirements of various branches. Extra allowance for night workers was increased to 15/- a week for adult workers and 7/6 for junior workers.