GENERAL LABOURERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15610, 15 May 1914, Page 9

GENERAL LABOURERS.

NEW INDUSTRIAL AWARD

WANTED

A rjisrrn: between the Auckland Coal, Lime, and Cement General Labourer*' Union and the employers in those industries came before the Conciliation Council, sitting yesterday Under the presidency of the conciliation commissioner (Mr. T Harlo Giles). The employers' assessors were Messrs. E. A. .Craig, A. Wilson, and P. Winstone. and the assessors for the union, Messrs R. Heffron, A. Jackson, and J. Jordan. The case for the union was presented by Mr. Wesley Richards, and Mr.' C. Grosvcnor represented the employers. The claim filed by the union includes a demand for an 83 hours' working day on five days of the week, and 4 5 on Saturday, with overtime at the rate of time and a-quarter for the first two hours, and thereafter time and a-half. The- employers' counter proposals include an 8J hours' day for five days, and a 5 hours' day on Saturday, with overtime at Die rate of Is 3d per hour. With regard to wages, the workers' demand Is 2d per hour for labourers handling coal, cement, bricks, pipes, sand, shingle, coke, timber, iron rails, and all similar work. The counter proposal of the employers is a minimum wage for casual labourers of Is per hour, permanent hands —defined as workers for a period of not less than one week—not to be subject to the award. Under the old award, the working week was. 48 hours, and the ■wages Is per hour.. Tho employers also ask for permission to employ underrate workers, under tho authority of an inspector. In addition the masters oppose the men's demands for preference for unionists. Other demands of the union are for a first-aid • emergency case, fully equipped, to be kept by the employer on each job: for proper sanitary accommodation, places for changing and drying clothes, allowance to labourers' living outside a two-mile radius, of pay for the time occupied in going to and from work. As to the term during which the award shall operate, tho union asks that it shall apply for 12 months, and the employers for three year?. By mutual consent exemption from the scope of the dispute- was granted to the Auckland Builders' Union. After considerable discussion in committee, the further hearing of the dispute was adjourned until this morning.