Higher Pay For Job

Northern Advocate, 14 June 1947, Page 3

Higher Pay For Job

Wanganella

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A direction to William Cable and Co., Ltd., to make further payments to their employees who worked on the Wanganella while the ship was on the reef was made by the conciliation commissioner, Mr S. Ritchie, in his reserved judgment given yesterday on the dispute which came before the strikes and lockouts tribunal, of which he was chairman.

In addition to 17/6 an hour for actual working time already paid the workers, Mr Ritchie directed that further payments of 14 - a night be made for each night spent by them on the ship, and that one hour's travelling time and two meals' breaks of threequarters of an hour be added to each day’s time and be paid for at ttie salvage rate. The workers asked for 17/6 an hour for all time spent by them on the ship including sleeping time and travelling time.

The workers were members of the Wellington Boilermakers and Metalworkers' Union and the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Engineering Workers' Union.

In his judgment, Mr Ritchie said that when tire employers fixed the payment to the men at 17 6 an hour for actual working time only, the arrangement was not in accord with the award. It appeared that the payment offered (17/6 an hour) was not unsatisfactory to tiie workers and they accepted if as the rate to be paid for all workers on salvage work.

ON EQUAL FOOTING They afterwards learned that the waterside workers were paid 17 6 an hour from wharf’to wharf, with travelling time to their homes extra, and that harbour board employees were paid 17/6 an hour for the first days on the ship for 24 hours a day, and later 17 0 an hour, with a minimum payment of 10 hours a day. The men employed by Cable and Company on the Wanganella while the ship was on the reef were provided with sleeping Accommodation to ensure that all available hours could be used to the best advantage in repairing the vessel, said Mr Ritchie.

The men were provided for as well as was possible under the circumstances and they did not complain of their board and accommodation. but the period away from home was not the result of their choosing and was arranged solely to expedite the work on the ship.

Concluding his judgment. Mr Ritchie stated: “The additional payments will place the workers employed on the vessel in a position not less favourable than other workers employed on the job."