ELECTRICAL LINESMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18888, 22 December 1924, Page 13

ELECTRICAL LINESMEN.

SEPARATE AWARD DESIRED.

OPINION OF THE COURT.

I m The Arbitration Court has issued its | judgment in an interlocutory application to determine whether linesmen and linemen s assistants are properly covered by the local bodies labourers' award iVfr. Justice Frazer said the Electrical Workers Union was applying for an award to cover those workers, but they came apparently within the scope of the local bodies labourers' award. Linesmen were senm-slcUed workers, and it had been customary in other parts of the Dominion to provide for them and their assistants under an award for electrical workers. The majority of the linesmen and linesmen's assistants employed bv the Auckland Electric Power Board had signified their desire to be dealt with under a separate award, and to become members of the Electrical Workers' Union. The Court thought that desire should be given effect to.

The classification of their work under the present local bodies labourers' award was not in accordance with that generally adopted. Meantime, however, they were covered by that award, but it was* stated that they had filed a protest before the award was made. That protest was inadvertently overlooked, owing to the recommendations of the conciliation council being incomplete at the time. The recommendations were subsequently completed, and an award was made in terms of the recommendations. The Court thought that was sufficient to give it jurisdiction to amend the local bodies labourers' award, under the provisions of section 92 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1908, by striking out all reference to these workers, but the Court deferred making an amendment vattil the linesmen's dispute, now filed, had been dealt with by the conciliation council andl the Court. In the Court's opinion the latter dispute was in order, and might now bo proceeded with in the usual manner.