THE TIMBER TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10634, 6 July 1920, Page 7

THE TIMBER TRADE

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYEES DEMANDS BEFORE CONCILIATION COUNCIL. The claims of the 'Wellington Timber Yards and Sawmills Union for a new award were considered by a Council of Conciliation yesterday. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr W. Newton) presided, and the assessors were:*—For the union, Messrs J. Read, A. G. Wilkinson, and W. Donaldson; and for the employers, Messrs William Hopkirk, M. i. Quirk, and G. Cook; Mr W. A. W. Grenfell acted as agent for the employers. The union demanded a 42i-hour week, to be worked on fire days, in place of the present 46-hour week. In place of the present wages system, which is arranged on an hourly basis, tho union asked for a specified weekly wage according to the classification of the workc*e>. The claims ranged from £5 15s per week for first-class machinists to £4 12s per week for yard labourers. The employers submitted counterproposals practically based upon the existing conditions, with minor amendments. In view of the hearing of the conn, try dispute at Palmerston North tomorrow,, it was decided that the council's deliberations should be confined to the practice of the trade within a radius of 25 miles of the city. Reviewing the union’s claims, Mr Read said that there was a tendency throughout the world towards the amelioration of the conditions of labour; at least, there was an attempt being made to keep wages on the same basis and up to the same standard of purchasing power, a* before tho war. The union was asking for a weekly wage, as against the existing hourly wage. They claimed that it was reasonable that tho men should have a reasonable tenure of the jobs that they held for the best part of their lives. He submitted that 75 per cent, of the men in the industry should be on a weekly wage instead of on an hourly wage. Tho discussion upon the wages demands lasted all day, and will be continued this morning.