CONCILIATION SITTING

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11433, 1 February 1923, Page 5

CONCILIATION SITTING

METAL-WORKERS’ DISPUTE. The Conciliation Council appointed to discuss the dispute that has arisen between the Wellington Metal Workers’ Assistants’ Union and their employers met before the Commissioner (Mr W. Newton) yesterday. _ The assessors for the union (including country workers) were Messrs A. Murray, J. Regan, ' and J. O. O'Brien; and for the employers, Messrs A. C. Mitchell, E. E. Stonebanks, and J. Cable. Mr H. F. Allen appeared as agent for the employers. The dispute was created by the union. The demands were for a 44-hour week; a minimum wage of 2s 3d per hour; time and a-half overtime for the first three hours and thereafter double time-; 2s per day for dirty work on ships or ashore. The employers asked in their coun-ter-proposals for a 47-hour week; time and a quarter overtime for the first two hours, and time and a half thereafter, and double time between then and ordinarv time for commencing work next day; wages varying from Is 4)d per hour to Is sfd per hour for adult workers, and from los to 50s per week for youths under 15 years of age; and Is 6d per day for dirty work. Application for total and partial exemption respectively from the City Council and the Harbour Board were referred to the Court. The adding of parties and the various clauses of the claims and counterclaims were considered in committee.