DEMANDS OF WORKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16096, 9 December 1915, Page 7

DEMANDS OF WORKERS.

CONTRACTORS' LABOURERS. FORTY HOURS PER WEEK. ONLY FIVE WORKING DAYS. The differences between the Auckland ! General Labourers' Union of Workers— contractors labourers' section—and the Auckland Builders and Contractors' Union of Employers as to the application of the employees for variation of the terms and conditions of employment, were considered by the Conciliation Council in the Supreme Court Buildings yesterday. Mr. T. Harle Giles presided, and the other members of the council were: Union's assessors, Messrs. R. J. Heffron, P. Harper, and Oscar Mcßrine; employers' assessors, Messrs. Murdoch McLean, W. E. Hutchison, and W. R. Leighton. Mr. S. E. Wright appeared as employers' representative and Mr. Wesley E. Richards as representative of the union.

The demand filed by the union stipulated that the actual working time per week should not exceed 40 hours, as against 47 in the current award; actual working time not to exceed eight hours for five days of the week—the current award provides for 8i hours on ordinary days and 4£ hours on Saturday; work not to begin earlier than 8 a.m. and to cease at 5 p.m., with three-quarters of an hour for lunchpresent working hours begin at 7.30 a.m. ; four hours to constitute a days work in wet places or foul air, anS to be paid for as equal to eight hours. Increased Wages Sought. Improvements in the rates of wages were sought in regard to tunnels or trenches of 6fb and more, and concrete, asphalt, and tar work, \iz., Is fid per hour in lieu of Is 3d ; kerbing and channelling and laying and clearing drains, Is 8d per hour instead of Is 2d; and pick and shovel men, Is 5d per hour instead of Is 2d. There were new proposals that engine-drivers be allowed Is 9d an hour and popper-drill men 2s 6d an hour dry and 2s an hour wet. For country work (necessitating the worker sleeping away from home) an addition 2s 6d per day was asked, workers to have travelling expenses paid, and to be allowed ordinary rates for time occupied in travelling. As to overtime, the union asked that the rate of payment should be double time, as against time and a -quarter for two hours, and afterwards time and a-half; also that hot and dirty work— to bakers' ovens, retorts, and furnaces were specified—be allowed for as double time, and if done on Sundays or holidays treble time. Boxing Day was asked for as an additional holiday, with an increase in the rate for all holidays from time and a-half to double time.

It was proposed that shift woik should be paid for at 2s an hour, and that a shift should be six hours, including hali-an-hour crib-time.

Suburban Work and Preference.

The suburban clause) takes the Chief Post Office (instead of Grafton Bridge) as the point of departure in fixing the mile radius, and proposes an extra rate of a Eenny per hoar for suburban work. Any ibourer using a ferry in going to his work to have his fare paid, xouths to be employed at wages agreed upon between employer and union, but in the proportion of not more than one to every nine, or fraction of nine, men. With regard to preference, the union asked that all labourers be required to become members of the union. The scope of the award was propose'' to be the whole Northern Industrial District. Hitherto it has extended only 10 miles from the Chief Post Office.

Employers' Counter-proposals. In their counter-proposals the employers proposed to adhere to the existing award, save that all workers other than those in tunnels or trenches of 9ft depth, and more, shall be paid Is an hour instead of Is 2d ; that the provisions as to piecework, ventilation, and preference be deleted, and that picks and short-handled shovels be supplied by the workers, In regard to the employment of youths, they offered the following rates of wags: Up to 17 years of age, 18s per week; up to 18, £1 2s; up to 19, £1 6s ; up to 20, £1 10s; up to 21, £1 16s; the proportion of youths to be one to every five, or fraction of five, men. The employers asked that the award be for a period of three years, as compared with 12 months proposed by the union. An application for exemption was made on behalf of the Auckland Racing Club, on the ground that the club is not in business as a contractor. Consideration of the point was deferred. Mr. Wright intimated that if the assessors agreed to any reduction of hours he would ask that the Auckland Gas Company be exempted from that provision. The commissioner stated that applications had been received for sittings of the council at Hamilton and Whangarei. The requests of the Thames and Waihi Borough Councils for exemption could be considered at Hamilton. Consideration of the dispute in committee enabled the parties to arrive at an agreement upon various points. Decision upon the balance was deferred pending sittings at Hamilton and Whangarei for the convenience of interested parties in those districts. The dispute will be finally considered in Auckland on January 26. THE BUILDERS' LABOURERS. CONSIDERATION OF DISPUTE. After two days' sittings of the Co%iliation Council upon the claims of the builders' labourers agreement was reached in regard to a number of minor points. Consideration of a number of other clauses was deferred in order to giv-> an opportunity to persons affected in other districts to express their views at the sittings of the council to be held at Hamilton and Whangarei. The final hearing of the dispute will take place in Auckland on January 24. ,