COURT DECISION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23382, 26 June 1939, Page 14

COURT DECISION

WAGES ANI) HOURS dominion enginedrivers annual holidays scale All increase in the minimum weekly wage for first-class enginedrivers to JLVHis '3d, will) other rales fixed in proport inn. is provided under the New Zoalanrl Kngin ed rivers. Firemen and Greasers' Award issued by the Arbitration Court. Tiio ordinary hours of work for ongiiiedrivei's employed by factories, works or industries are fixed to coincide with t hose observed by other workers in tlio same businesses, but not. to exceed I I a week, exclusive of time required to got up steam foi the machinery.

For men substantially employed in charge of electrically-driven plants over 50 horse-power or internal combustion engines over 20 horse-power, the rnto lixed by the Court is £■') Is (3d a week, the same as that to bo paid to holders of a second-class stationary enginedriver's or fireman's certificate.

Uncertificated Workers Firemen, stokers, greasers, watchmen, guards and workers where no certificate is required will receive a minimum wago of i! t ltis fid a week. Workers employed on afternoon or night shift will bo paid is a shift in addition to their ordinary rate of pay. Youths, IS and under 10 years of ape, employed as firemen or assistants will lie paid Jt I a week.

Fnder previous awards, a memorandum of the Court states, wages varied in the different industrial districts. In the northern district, for example, there was a daily wage of .CI Is .'id for a working week of five days, equivalent to £'o 6s 3d a week for first-class enginedrivers. Klsewhcro it varied from £'"> os to Is.

The principal matters in dispute, the memorandum continues, were the inclusion of enginedriver watchmen within the scope of the award, wages and holidays. The majority of the Court considered that to concede the application on behalf of the watchmen would he an infraction of the principle of substantial employment, and that it would probably have other repercussions not at present in contemplation.

Operation Starts To-day "Workers employed on continuous or afternoon and night shifts aro to receive two weeks' annual holiday on full pay after each year of service, and all others one week's holiday on full pay.

The award, which comes into force to-day, will continue until December 26, 1910, and it is provided that all workers shall be entitled to be paid the difference between the amount received by them for a full week's work and the minimum rates under the new award, as from April 26 to June 25. In the case of hospital boards' enginedrivers, firemen and greasers, a first-class cnginedriver's wages are fixed at £6 a week, second-class at £5 15s, and a driver employed on work which does not require a certificate is to receive £5 10s a week.

The union pressed strongly for a 40hour week, the memorandum* states, while on the other hand it was shown that some hospital boards, on a 40hour week basis, found themselves compelled to pay overtime for necessary work to the extent of eight hours a week, worked by four men two hours each. For that reason the Court decided to allow work to he done for 42 hours at ordinary rates, although the wages are based on a week of 40 hours.