ENGINE-DRIVERS' DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16798, 14 March 1918, Page 7

ENGINE-DRIVERS' DISPUTE.

m —- COUNCIL REACHES AGREEMENT. A Conciliation Council sat yesterday to continue the hearing of a dispute filed by the Auckland Certificated Engine-drivers Industrial Union of Workers A full agreement was arrived at on all the points at issue. Tho conciliation commissioner, Mr. T Ilarlo Giles, presided. Tho assessors for tlio union woro Messrs. J, Nodwell, J. Read, and T. Cain, union sccrotary. Ihe assessors for tho employers woro Messrs, J. Lowe, U. B. Coupe, and J. Kerr, with Mr C. Oresvonor as advocate. The Manukau Water Board was struck off the list of, those cited, as that body had ceased to exißt. Exemption for the Mount Albert Borough Council in relation to the engineer at tho pumping station was refused, tho commissioner remarking that it would open the door to all other local bodies if the application was granted. . •....-■ The council wont into committco to discuss tho points in dispute, and on resuming it was announced that a full agreement had boon arrived at, on all points, As a result of the negotiations, the wag>>s of first-class certificated stationary engiric-drivcrs havo been increased from lis, to lis a day; secopdclass certificated stationary onspne-drivora from 9s 6d to lis a day; and traction onginodrivers, bush locomotive-drivers, and loghaulcrn from 10s 6d to 129 a day. Where any worker is required to get up steam when starting work, or to bank fires when ceasing work, and this involves working outside the ordinary hours, he is to bo paid, in addition to bis ordinary wages. Is lor each day on which he is so employed.. Hours of work and overtime aro tho same as in the old award, with tho addition that any time worked on shift in excess of eight hours in any one day is to be paid for nt the rato of timo end a-half, except wheen overtime is worked for the purpose of changing shifts. Holidays are in accord with the previous award, with tho addition of sovon days' holiday nor annum on full pay to workers engaged on shift work who have been in their employers' service for a period of one year. When a worker is discharged, or leaves of his own accord before having served his employer for a full veor, he is to bo paid for holidays to which he is entitled, en a tiro rata basis. Tho following new clause has been inserted in relation to shift work;— " Where shifts are worked, tho week's work shall not exceed seven shifts of ei"h* honri each, and workers so employed shall be paid n«t follows: First-class stationary enginedrivers, 12s per «hift of eight hours; secondclass, lis per shift of ctnrht hours; traction dnvors, etc.. 12s per shift of eight hours." Tho court's usual clause in re'ntinn lo underrate workers was inserted, the 'cope of the award remaining as before. The award is for a period of two years. Certain exemptions were agreed to. On the motion of Air. J. Rend for (he union, seconded by Mr. H. B. Coupe for the employers, a henrlv vote of thanks was accorded to tlio commissioner for the able and impartial manner in which he had yresi'led over the council. It was stated that tho same dispute l lo fl been before conciliation councils at Wellington, Namer, PalmerPtrm North, and Wanganut. bill no settlement had been arrived at In (hose centres.