INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21251, 3 August 1932, Page 12

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

CONCILIATION FIXTURES LOCAL HEARINGS ARRANGED Six local industrial disputes are set down for hearing by conciliation councils in Auckland within tho next few weeks, and, in view of Iho amended industrial legislation, considerable interest is attached to them. Tho fixtures aro as follows: —August 9, timber yard and sawmill workers' dispute; August 11, iron workers' labourers; August 12, fish trade employees; August 15, shop assistants; September 1, biscuit and confectionery workers; September 5, towage vessel workers. An attempt has already been made in conciliation council to secure a Dominion agreement in tho shop assistants' dispute, but it was not successful. An effort is also to l)e mado to scttlo the biscuit and confectionery workers' dispute on a Dominion basis, the uiyon having applied for a hearing at Christchurch on August 10. If this results in a settlement, tho Auckland fixture will naturally lapse. In tho biscuit nnd confectionery trade, tho employers' proposals include tho adoption of a 48-hour week for male workers and a 45-hour week for females. At present all employees work a 45-hour week. It is not proposed to alter the wages of adult male workers, but a request is mado for reductions in tho wages of youths, ranging from 5s a week in the first year to 16s 6d a week in tho final year, nnd of ferralo workers, ranging from 4s 0d a week hi tho first year to 4s a week in the fifth year. Tho proposals for overtime aro t'jut time and a-qmirter should bo paid for the first three hours and timo and a-half thereafter. Tho union's proposals comprise a 41 ihour week and tho retention of tho present scalo of wages, less tho Arbitration Court's 10 per cent reduction, for all workers. For overtime, tho union is asking time and a-half for tho first hour and double timo thereafter.