DRIVERS’ DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10207, 18 February 1919, Page 6

DRIVERS’ DISPUTE

AGREEMENT ON WAGES CONCESSIONS BY '.EMPLOYERS ACCEPTED. Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 17. The Dominion drivers’ dispute wai* again before the Conciliation Council to-day. On resuming the hea ring, Mr Pryor said the union’s offer off £3 7s 6d per week for one-horse amu £3 11s 6d tor two-horse drivers had been carefully considered by the employers, and, after long and serious discussion, they had come to the conclusion that if all time worked had to hj paid for, then no pay should be alloii.-ed for time not worked on holidays. The employers were prepared to offer- a flat rate of £3 £s for a forcy-iffght-hour week. That would allow 2s per week above the £3 6s suggested a s a living wage by the Commissioner, which would compensate to some cutent for no pay on holidays. It would really mean Is od per hour as com pared with Is lid per hour under the o;ki award. Mr Davis pointed o ut that employers might give a driven a holiday when work was slack and not pay for his time.

Mr Pryor said tha t was not intended, and would be pro tided for in drafting the award, ft was felt that the men would not be in such a hurry to go to races if, they knew they would not be paid. W ith regard to the statutory half-holid; ly, the employers asked that overtime should not he paid until after 1 p.m. 1 Mr Parlane enpre rsod surprise that the employers should! consider a driver of two horses should! not receive extra pay for the increa; led responsibility. Employers would no L get men to drive two-horse teams for 1 the same pay as a one-horse cart. The assessors for [ho union conferred for some time in private, .and upon the council resuming, Mr Parlane announced that the. union could not accept the offer as, ; nbmitted, hut the difference was not much, and perhaps a settlement could yet be reached. They objected to a deduction for holidays, also that dc table-horse drivers should get a little c extra pay. At 2.30 p.m., thei employers, having conferred during tht i luncheon adjournment, Mr Pryor s aid the employers still considered that their offer was the best solution of th e difficulty, but if the federation wishied they were prepared to pay for o ne-horse drivers £3 6s per week, and f( ir two-horso drivers £3 8s 6d per week. The employers had considered the pro posal mad© by the union, and they, df icided to renew the offer of £3 8s per ■ veek flat rate, with no payment for lu Uidays, plus stable work Is 4id per ho nr, with a provision that only tlie'nine holidays prescribed by the award he ] laid for. Mr Pryor said this really in creased the pay of two-horse drivers a! font Is 8d per week above single-horse - Anvers. j , The council then, went into commitA settlement wr is reached on the wages question by -the council in committee this evening v The wages agreed upon are £3 6s for one-horse and £3 8s 6d for two -horse drivers, with stable time of four- and eight hours respectively at Is 4ijd per hour. Tho employers will pa; r for the rune holidays specified, in ' the old award. No deduction will be made in wages save for time lost th'fougjh the worker s own default or si tkness. > The machinery clauses will t ti considered to-mor-row.