DRIVERS' AWARD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23205, 26 November 1938, Page 18

DRIVERS' AWARD

MEETING OF PARTIES PROVISIONS DISCUSSED EMPLOYERS OPPOSE CHANGES [BY TELEGRAPH —PKESS ASSOCIATION] WELLING TON, Friday A conference of representatives of the New Zealand Federated Drivers' and Related Trades industrial Association of Workers and the Now Zealand Road Transport Alliance, the New Zealand Carriers and Customs Agents' Association and other employers of drivers commenced yesterday and concluded this morning under the chairmanship of Mr. T. O. Bishop, secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Federation.

The object of the meeting was to give the workers' representatives an opportunity of submitting to the employers certain matters arising out of the recent award of the Court of Arbitration! Wages and Hours Question The most important matter brought forward for discussion was whether wages should bo based on 40 hours and whether any hours worked above 40 should bo paid for, and the desirability that wages rates should bear the same relative position to tho wages of other workers as was the case in past awards.

Other matters discussed were: Clause 2, sub-clause (e), an amendment for the purpose of embodying the principle of a rate, such as already embodied in the award • for bakers drivers, for early starting; clause 2, sub-clause (f), ail amendment for the purpose of eliminating the words "except lor serious misconduct"; clause 3, fpart 1, sub-clause (a), wages, and sub-clauses (c.) and (d) for minor amendments. With regard to part 11. it was desired to 'discuss hours (especially seasonal hours) and wages. Clause 8 (S)> an amendment in'respect to tho words "for serioiis misconduct.'' Clans© 1 (ci) t part 111., an amendment, making provisions for drivers' assistants, on bakers vehicles. Clause 9 (b) t> a meal allowance for drivers working under part 11. and also some retrospective pay. Employers' Reply Theso matters Were discussed in detail, after which an adjournment was taken to allow the employers' delegates to consider their reply. On resumption the employers submitted their reply as follows: — , "The representatives of tho employers of drivers have given careful consideration to the representations and requests made by the Drivers Union and, while they are of tho opinion that an award better in some respects might have been obtained during the conciliation proceedings, now that the award has been made they feel that any attempt to alter its provisions would involve a violation of principles which are vital to the arbitration system, and therefore have been iorced to the conclusion that the award should remain unaltered for its term of one year." Both sides expressed appreciation of the spirit in which tho discussions had been conducted and the workers' representatives expressed regret that no result had been obtained from the conference, and said they would report back to their members tho viows expressed by tho employers as well as the final reply

REPORT OF DELEGATES MEETING IN AUCKLAND A special* meeting of all Auckland drivers, which has been called for the purpose of • receiving tho delegates' report of. the award conference held-in Wellington, -will take place at - the Trades Hall to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock. Tho president, Mr. M. G. Osborne, the vice-president, Mr. H.' R. McKenzic, and the secretary, Mr. L. G. Matthews who represented the union at the conference, will be present at the meeting.