IRON FOUNDRY WORKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16051, 18 October 1915, Page 5

IRON FOUNDRY WORKERS.

AWARD FOR LABOURERS.

HOURS AND RATE OF WAGES.

A new award was framed on Saturday by the Conciliation Council in connection with the employment of labourers in iron foundries and allied industries. The commissioner, Mr. T. Harle <jiles, presided, and the assessors were : —For the employers : Messrs. Geo. Fraser, D. M. Gillies, and E. J. Kelly. For the workers: Messrs. H. G. Ulph, S. Skeen, and 0. Mcßrine. Mr. S. E. Wright, of the Employers* Association, appeared as advocate for the respondent employers, and Mr. Wesley Richards, of the General Labourers' Union, as advocate for the petitioning men.

The hours of work were fixed at 47 per week, with conditions similar to those which prevail in Christchurch. The union had asked for 40 hours per week. As regards wages, the minimum rate for furnacemen, marine repair workers, structural steelworkers, on erection work, was hxed at Is 3d per hour, an advance of 3d on the old award. For workers engaged in assembling imported machinery, tinsmiths' assistants, sheet-metal workers, engineers, and boilermakers, titters, strikers, yardmen, and all others the wages .were agreed upon as Is l£d per hour—an increase of l£d. " Dirt" money is to be paid at Is per day extra, while overtime, holiday, and night shifts are provided for as in the engineers' award. The usual court clauses regarding under-rate workers, existing contracts, and preference have been inserted.

The award covers the northern industrial district, and it was decided that it should be subraitt<«d to the Arbitration Court at its sittings in Auckland this week, with a view to having it registered. The award is to be brought into operation within 30 days from the time of the dispute first being heard, and it is to terminate with the Engineers and Boilermakers' Award on July 19, 1917.