FERRY EMPLOYEES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22939, 18 January 1938, Page 5

FERRY EMPLOYEES

CLAIMS FOR NEW AWARD MAJOR POINTS NOT SETTLED Employees of the Devonport Steam Ferry Company met the employers in conciliation council -before Mr. R. E. Price, Conciliation Commissioner, yesterday. No agreement was reached on the major matters of hours, wages and overtime, but several minor provisions were agreed to, these including meals, casual work and coaling. It was decided that the term of the aeward should be for one J"ear. On the question of Sunday pay it was agreed that workers should receive half time in addition to their weekly rates, and casual workers should receive time and a-half. The employees, who were represented by Messrs. H. Bates, I?. Parker, K. Timmins and H. Campbell, asked for a 40-hour week, not exceeding eight hours a day, with at least, one day off each week. Their wage claims were:— Masters, £'B a week; mates, firemen, night watchmen, wharf hands and ticket sellers, £5 10s; ticket checkers, £5. For mates on vehicular ferries, on which cash and tickets were handled, an extra 10s was asked. Messrs. W. 1). Holgate, A. E. Alison, F. Mortimer and G. A. Prentice represented the company. . Their counter-claims included a 42-hour week and the following wage scales:— Masters, £5 10s; mates, firemen and ticket sellers, £1 os; ticket checkers, £4; night watchmen, £4 7s Gd; wharf hands, £4. . ■