COACH WORKERS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12008, 10 December 1924, Page 12

COACH WORKERS

A DOMINION AWARD A “QTJSJSTIONS 6l! WAGES AND HOURS ® REFERRED TO COURT. t. - r l - * (• ■ ' a CONCILIATION COUNCIL SITTING, 7 l- , ■' . . % .•, B ' K An application for a new Dominion award by the Coach workers' "Union cam© before the Conciliation Council yesterX day, tho Commissioner, Mr W. Neyrton, i : presiding. The assessors were as follow: * Employees: Messrs B. Martin (Auckland), , A. Blueden (Auckland), T. Pentecost * (Christchurch), and A. L. Monteith (Wel- , lington). ’ Employers: Messrs 'L. 1 Joll * (Auckland), W. T. Cousins (Auckland), ‘ I). H.:' Taylor A. Johnston _ and E. C. Harvey (Wellington). ' Mr B. L. Hammond! appeared as agent for : the employers. AIMS OR UNION.; - Under the heading of classification of labour, th,o union claimed that three classes of labour should be recognised, % ’ vie., journeymen (including woodmen, j-painters, smiths, vicemen and trimmers), apprentices and helpers. ' HOURS, WAGES AND HOLIDAYS. • The union. asked ,that 44 hours should constitute ordinary week's work, and f -should\be worked 'between the .hour© of * 7.3 Q a.m. and 5 g.m. .on five days per - week, and between the hours of 7.30 jmq. r and 12 noon on Saturday; after which r overtime rates should: be paid. 5 Tn regard l to,wages, the claims were:— } Wages to be paid on ah hourly basis: Vj The wages for journeymen coachworkers »' be not less than* 2s Sd per hour. f Overtime.—All time worked outside of 1 • the v hours specified, of ; in excess of eight * hoyrs in anyj.one dhy .on. five days of the * { week, and in excess of four hours on the t day for tho-statutory half-holiday, to be : I paid for.at the rate of time am?) a half | for "the first three 'hours and double time jafterwards. * ■ , > \ I( . The union's representatives asked -that t work done on New Year's Day, Anniver.l sary Day, Anzac Day, Easter Monday; “j reigning - Soy&rjedgii's Birthday, Labour j Day, Good E'iidiay, Christmas Day, 801-I*ng: I*ng: Day or-'on any Sunday' should be t ; paid -for at. the- rate of ' double time. Employees not required to work on the mentioned to. be paid for Such , : holidays at ordinary rates of pay. EMPLOYERS' COUNTER CLAIMS ' Dr" . their counter-claims the employers asked that.five classes of labour shduld be recpgmsed—journeymen, improvers, helpers and assemblers. Forty-seven, hours should constitute an l ordinary week's work. . ■ The wages for journeymen coachworkers to be not less than 2s lid per j hoUT. . 1 * ~ In regard l to overtime the employers ' claimed-that double rates- shotfld be paid for overtime only after ;four hours /had *■ been worked. ' ■ - The employers. claims respecting holidays named the same id ays as the union's i proposals, / with the “exception of Anzac 1 Day and Anniveraafyv Day; They declined, however, to pay for holidays as ► 1 the, union desired. , THE , RATES OP PAY. Mn discussing the Question of hours and wages, Mr Hammond said that they could not possibly offer any more than 2s 2d per hour, the present award rate. The court had not given more than this for < any class of -skilled worker, * and the etnP]°J ei ! s . could not take the responsibility °l ® new cycle of wages for skilled workers. . Mr Martin: That means ari advance oh your counter-proposals of per week. What wonderful generosity ! Mr Hammond: Beggars < cannot be geiherous; the industry' canhot afford to pay more. ; Mr Martin said that in Australia the minimum rate, of pay was 2s 3d per ; hour, x -• * "HIGHER, WAGE® AND MORE STRIPS." Mr Hammond-; -I would be very sony to see the same labour conditions prevailing hefe as in New South Wales, where they have higher wages than anywhere els* and more 1 .time is lost through strikes. Mr Hammond went on to.statethat at least 30 per cent, of the cost of fcoaohwork was wages,-. and while the competition from - England, where lower wages prevailed, continued, the industry could not afford to pay an increased wage. _ Mr • Cousins said that the union was seeking to obtain something for nothing. They wanted'reduced hours, but so that they should not suffer ,in earning power they were asking for 2s 9d per houT. NO AGREEMENT ON MAJOR ISSUES. Mr Hammond asked the union representatives if they were prepared to take the • responsibility r of accepting a- 44-hour week on the understanding that the wages were to be not more than 2s 2d. J Mr Martin said that he was not prepared to take that responsibility. That was a matter for the men themselves to i I decide. . \ . - i [ No agreement was arrived at on the (point, land it was decided to refer the, j qnestiqn of hours, wages and overtime to the ; court. An agreement was come to,on a number • <n .machinery clauses, but neither side c was prepared to give way on the major ■ issues. ]