MOULDERS’ PAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10560, 10 April 1920, Page 4

MOULDERS’ PAY

THE DISPUTE OPENS HIGHER PAT AND SHORTER HOURS OFFHEED. Tho moulders’ dispute was tpcnod before tbo Conciliation Commissioner (Mr W. Newton) yestexdav morning. Tbo assessors lor tbo employers were Messrs A. C. Mitcuoli, D. Robertson, J. etvble. Mr 11. F. Ailen was agent, iixo employees' .assessors were M«s»rs J. rerguson, C. Mucueil, ami W. M.ubarmnt>. Mr F. barter wa tbo employees employees asked for a -10-bour wook, to oe worked from «* a.m. to o p.m. on live days a week. Wages of as ,n hour wer© for joLiriicjiiieii, mourners and coromakors. All overlimy to count as uuuuio tune. Appicut.ces to t© paid per we*k lor the arst year, tiiexi aos, -ins, oOe>, unu m tiio iiicu year t*)s. Apprentice* wuo gam. a g-muo i.. coi-tilicate to bo paid '6t> tilt a woeit vzzm m uio last two years- ot tkeix apLueacioesixip. Atoiuaers to get -s Od per aav extra xor (Urty work. iko award io bo lor on© year ami to -bo retrospective la other centres. The employers" counter-proposals were l une old award with tn© ioiiowms ameuuWages to bo Is BJd per hour, added to wbiob tna bonus ns awarded by tne Court of Arbitration from tune to time. Tbnt tbe preference to unionists clause und the limitation of . upprencicesnip Clause no eliminated liom me award. Mr A. C.. Mitcnoii Umployersj said at tbe outset that ne woum oner a compromise on tne hours question. He wouiu' oner a forty-tour hours week. miter discussion tne employees retirea a wnue and on returning announced that moy would accept the compromise. A. request by me union lor a quarter nour smoko in every rour boors was retused pomt-biamt by tne employers, ana at leiigtn mo employees gave .way on me pome and asned cno Commissioner to cut it out. r urtber discussion arose on tbe question of wages. Mr , .barter said tuat me employees bad given way on me Hours' pome ana mu employers migni meet them weu on tne wages question, me mourners ueoerved greater consiueraaon man omer foundary workers, -uouiuora' work was very dirty and tugury d killed. Mr Mitchell temployers) said be would ober ns an nour, as *hi wita tne Set bonus, me present pay amounted to about la lid an Hour.

Tile employees' assessors said that conditions m jNew Zealand were mucn worse tium oondruons m nnglaua and tnat ,n would he louud dimeiuc xo get moulders to corns to iNew Zealand. .New Zealand suops were uepuoiaole, dilapidated .snacks, cold, draughty, and leaky. Tno employees' representatives asked -or extra pay ior darty worK, but the employers biaiuay reiused this, and a long aiseussion ensued. AGiUihhlifiNT AKEIVEE AT. Hater Mr A. C. Mitoheil (employers’ ropr esentative) informed ' our reporter mat a complete agieenient had . been reached on air points, wun the exception .it tue duration or tne award, winch is to come into operation on April IUCIi. the only point now in dispute is as to whether the award Shalt continue for one year or lor two. The union wants one yoar and the employers want two. the agicement arrived at as to wages is on me lines of that entered into wita ms .boilermakers the ouior day. Tno minimum wage of journeymen moulders. .Anor tnan mooinne moulders, is to be : is an "hour and da bonus, and that for machine moulders is to be Is Ud an aour, with . !hl bonus. Tnere is to bo a 44-hour week, with overtime at the rate of time and a haiif ior the first cnree hours, and thereaiter double time; cue overtime to bo computed on the columned fiat rate and bonus. The rates for apprentices have also been considerably increased, the apprentices starting at a minimum of 20s a week, rising in the fifth year to 555, after wiiich ' they may serve one year as improvers at tno rate of Is 6d an hour, plus the journeymen’s war ’bonus then in operation. SBTTUSMENT AT CHEISTCHTJECH. PEE PEBSS ASSOCIATION. CH-fUATOtI UHCH, April 9. At the Conciliation Council in the iron and brass moulders’ dispute the following agreement was arrived at: —Hours of work, 44 per week; wages, 2s an hour for moulders. Is lid for machine moulders and 2a for journeymen coremakers, plus a bonus of 3d per hour; apprentices’ wages, first vear 20s, second year 28s, third year 335, fourth year 40s, fifth year 555, with 5s extra per week for the last two years, when an apprentice has gained a grade 1. certificate of City and Guilds of Loudon Institute or the equivalent certificate of Canterbury College.