WAGE INCREASES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22390, 9 April 1936, Page 12

WAGE INCREASES

TRANSPORT DRIVERS NEW AWARD FILED DECISION OF THE COURT Higher wages for omnibus and service car drivers are provided for in the New Zealand Passenger Transport Drivers' Award, which has been filed in the Arbitration Court. The award will operate for a year from April 20. It fixes the minimum wages for drivers at £4 12s 6d a week, and for, learners at £3 14s, against the ruling rates of £4 5s and £3 8s respectively. At the hearing of the dispute it was stated that ah agreement for a new Dominion award for passenger transport drivers had been reached at Conciliation Council proceedings, on all points except the wage question, which it had been agreed to refor to the Court.* The New Zealand Federated Drivers and Related Trades Industrial Association of Workers sought increases to £5 a week for drivers and £4 for learners, the rates ruling from 1926 to 1931. The employers offered to increase drivers' wages to £4 12s 6d and learners' wages proportionately. "The main question referred to the Court was that of wages," said Mr. Justice Page, in a memorandum. "With regard to the term of the award, the agreement arrived at in Conciliation Council made provision that tho award should continue for a period of approximately 21 months, but that wages might be reviewed by the Court at tho expiration of 12 months. In our view such a provision for the reviewing of the wages during the currency of the award could not validly be made. As the parties desire that the question of wages should be reviewed in 12 months, we have fixed the term of tho award for that period." Mr. A. L. Monteith, employees' representative, expressed a dissenting opinion on tho question of wages. "I am not in agreement with the rate of wages awarded, which I think should be £4 178 6d," he said. "The men under this award work on Sundays and on certain holidays at ordinary rates, and a large number of them work three-legged broken shifts. Omnibus drivers in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin do the same work as these men, under much more favourable conditions. They have only twolegged broken Shifts, and get, in some cases, extra money for broken shifts, extra money if called on to work on Sundays and on certain holidays, and a higher rate of overtime. Like these men they are on a weekly employment, and average 48 hours a week. Because of the conditions, three-legged broken shifts, lower overtime, no extra payment for Sundays and certain holidays, I am of opinion that these men should be paid at least £4 17s 6d."