AWARD SOUGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23191, 10 November 1938, Page 16

AWARD SOUGHT

GLASSWORKS DISPUTE CLAIMS BY THE UNION EMPLOYERS' CONTENTIONS HEARING BY MAGISTRATE With the necessary power delegated to him by the Arbitration Court, the industrial magistrate, Mr. J. A. Gilmour, heard the Auckland glassworkers' dispute yesterday. Mr. W. E. Anderson represented tho Australian Glass Manufacturers' Company, Limited, and Mr. J. Purtell, the Auckland Glassworkers' Union. Because of alleged delay in securing a lixture owing to the burden of work on the Arbitration Court, members of the union at the company's works at Penrose ceased work on November 2. Tlie3" returned to work on November 4 as a result of a temporary agreement with the employers affecting wages and conditions. As the Arbitration Court's engagements precluded it from making a fixture, Mr. Gilmour arrived from Christcliurch on Tuesday afternoon to hear the dispute. The Questions at Issue Mr. Gilmour asked if he could take it that, as a result of Tuesday night's conference between tha parties, the questions in dispute had been narrowed down considerably. Mr. Anderson said the parties had narrowed down the issues to wages, holidays and the term of the award. If Mr. Purtell was prepared to ratify this, the parties could proceed fairly rapidly. * Mr. Purtell said as far as he was concerned the dispute had been narrowed down to a difference of Is Gd for general hands. He was prepared to take the responsibility without consulting his union of accepting £1 10s for general hands, provided that shift workers were paid an extra allowance in accordance with the Court's policy, and there was one week's holiday for all hands. The question of holidays for shift workers would be discussed before the Arbitration Court later. An increase for juniors had already been discussed. A Contention Contradicted

"The employers' contention is that the Court has made a {statement that 5s would be granted on the 19-31 rates," said Mr. Purtell. "1 sav that tlicro is no pronouncement containing that provision, and, further, it would be wrong in principle to suggest that, irrespective of the merits or demerits of any case, it should bo prejudged before tho case is presented to the Court."

Mr. Anderson said the offer by Mr. Purtell was what he had made all along. The employers could not agreo to it. .... After a short adjournment, in which the magistrate conferred with the parties, Mr. Gilmour announced that the Court would proceed with the hearing of the dispute. . Higher Wages Sought The workers claimed in their statement to the Court that watchmen should be included in the hours clause of the award. Further, it was claimed that operators should be paid a minimum of £o 10s a week, compared with the present rate of £4 10s 10d, operators' assistants £o, sorters £(i 10s, compared with £4 13s lOd, firemen £'s 10s, compared with £4 ISs 6d; yard hands, packers and other workers not specified, £o, compared with £4 6s (id; and watchmen £5. The union asked for 3s a shift, in addition to the weekly rat« for shift workers. Fourteen days' annual holiday, in addition to statutory holidays, was claimed bv the union. It was suggested that the term of the award should be six months. At the end of this time the Arbitration Court would have returned to Auckland. _ Evidence was given in support or the workers' claims. _

The Employers' Case Mr. Anderson said the award under which the parties were working to-day was made in October, 3937, and* its currency had expired only a lew weeks ago. • ~ Practieallv all the matters in dispute, Mr. Anderson continued, were dealt with in the last award in 1937. Hours of work had been agreed upon by the parties; wages had been settled by the Court; the holiday clause had .been, put in by the Court, which had also settled the annual holiday clause; with one exception, general conditions had been settled by the parties. "The employers contend that hours of work, wages, except rates, the vouths' wages clause, the holiday clause and general conditions having been settled in 1937, they should not be varied," said Mr. Anderson. "The only clauses to be varied are these—wages and annual holidays, upon Court has made a pronouncement. Average Wages With Overtime Mr. Anderson contended that the average wages, with overtime,, received bv the men at .present were: —1< iremen . £6 9s to £6 10s a week; opoiatois, £9 to £9 10s; sorters, £7 Is 3d. lhe employers were prepared to ofier a wages increase of os on the IJ3I rates, to which the Court's pronouncement referred, and one week's annual ho idav. The term of the award should be for three years. , ~ Kvidence was called to support the eniplovcrs' contentions. "1 shall consider the matter and get an award out as early as possible, said Mr. Gilmour. "it was fortunate that 1 was able to lit this case in between my Christchureh and Wellington fixtures."