INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10811, 29 January 1921, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE

ENGINE-DRIVERS’ CASE CLAIMS BEFORE THE CONCILIAiftIN COUNCIL. VARIOUS EXEMPTIONS SOUGHT. Yesterday matters arising out of the new dispute filed by the Wellington Stationary, Traction and Locomotive Engine-drivers and their Assistants’ Industrial Union of Worker’s were discussed by the Conciliation Council. The Conciliation Commissioner • (Mr W. Newton) presided. Messrs W. A. W. Grenfell, J. J. Clark, and W. Cable represented the employers. Mr J. G. Harknese, secretary of the National Dairy Association, appeared and spoke for dairy factories. Mr J. Coyle, secretary of the Wellington Hospital Board, and Mr Turner, assistant engineer of the Wellington Harbour Board, also appeared; The union representatives were Messrs J. Read, T. Cain, and P. Puryes. PROPOSALS AND COUNTER- . PROPOSALS. The union is asking that wages he fixed on a weekly basis instead of on a, daily rate, as at present. First-class engine-drivers, locomotive, and traction engine-drivers are now in receipt of 17s 6d per day (inclusive of a bonus of 6d), second-class engine-drivers receive I6s 6d daily (including a bonus of 6d), and firemen and greasers are paid 16s per day (including 6d bonus). In addition to these rates, one shilling extra for raising steam is paid daily. Thu rateß which the union asks shall be paid weekly are as follow : —(First-class stationary engine-drivers, £6 10s; second-class engine-drivers, £6; for work requiring a traction or locomotive certificate for engines moving from place to place by their own motive power, £6 10s; of producer or suction ,S as plants or crude oil engines of over :40rh.p., £6 10s; under 40-h.p-, £6: firemen and greasers, £5 Iss. Thq employers filed counter-propo-saJs- They asked that the existing awasd- so ' far as it was applicable he renewed. They desired that the rates ■of nay should be at per hour instead' of ny the. day, and that clause. 6 of the award, concerning dirt money, should bo deleted. , HARBOUR AND HOSPITAL BOARDS. ( The Wellington Harbour Board asked for exemption from, the terms of the •award. Mr Read opposed. this request. ■ Mr Turner said the board lhad always been given ’ exemption provided it observed the conditions of the award: respecting hours and pay. The, Commissioner: You cannot accept that, Mr Read ? Mr Read: No. We will contest it. The point goes to the court. _ Air Grenfell said the. Wellington Hospital Board also sought exemption. The secretary of the hoard, Air J. Coyle, said the men were given a fortnight’s holiday a year and a fortnight’s sipk pay and a meal a day. The award rates and hours were observed. Mr Read said, he would he disposed to agree, to partial exemption, but he thought a request for total exemption unreasonable. Mr -Coyle. thought it well to give the hospital total exemption; it would be safer in the event of trouble. He admitted that there, had been no trpuble whatever in the last five years. The union representatives said that every effort would be made to keep the hospital free of trouble. In the. event of other trouble iu would be found that there would be no bother at the hospital, Mr Coyle eventually agreed to accept ■partial exemption. A£r Read : We will agree to that. dairy FACTORIES. As to dairy factories, Air Read said ,he would strongly protest against the (exemption of dairy factories. Dairy factories were making large sums of ; money and, in many cases were not paying, the, men too, well. —Mp Harkness said he recognised that jtbe hours- in factories were long in the ■season, hut for several months of the year the factories hardly did anything. The long hours lasted only a few jmqnths, and 'cheese factories closed alitogether for several months. The men ;were. kept on in most factories during the close .period, then employed to look after the engines, and also did other 'work in the factory. Factories ha,d had exemption in the past, and'it would be in the interests of the industry to continue the exemption. It was not a question, of wages. The factories were quite willing, to pay the wages thought proper, but it would bo unwise that th« men who. tended- the engines should he singled out from their fellows and put under another award. 3Mr Read said there was no reason why -the dairy factory engine-men should be exempted any iqo.re than enin the timber business should. Air. Cable expressed the opinion that the factories should be exempted. If the men came under another award they would not he so well off. • Mr Read admitted the men got a little hit of butter and a drop of milk. “ON VELVET.” Mr Harkness Baid there was no limit to the quantities of milk and butter the rqeu got,; they received whatever they required. Their accommodation was free, and they got free firewood, milk, butter (or cheese). In some cheese factories butter had to be bought for the men. Mr Cable: Do the men pay any rent? Mr Harkness: None whatever. . Mi" Cain said that in the north there was dissatisfaction amongst the men in the factories—'great dissatisfaction. Mr Read said.there were men in the dairy factories who were very dissatisfied, and the union was willing to- contest the matter in the court. Was Air Grenfell prepared to discuss the quesI tion of inclusion of these men under the award ?. ' Mr Grenfell: No. I stand definitely for. their exemption, as in the past. Mr Read: And we stand as definitely for their, inclusion- We will fight it out on that basis. Mr Cable: I consider these men axe on v elvet, and it would not be in their interests to disturb them. Mr. Read: Unfortunately for you, Mr Cable, the men don’t think so. Mr Cable: There are some people never satisfied, and who don’t know when they ai’e well off. The more they get the mare they want. The matter, and also the matter of the. exemption of freezing companies, was referred to the court. NO AGREEMENT ON MAIN ISSUES. The conference proceeded to discuss, questions of overtime, wages, etc. No agreement was reached on the -main issues. The commissioner wrill visit Palmerston North on Monday, Wanganui on Tuesday, and Napier on Thursday, in connejotajch- with the dispute.