CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15826, 26 July 1913, Page 4

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS' < LABOUHERS. .

PARTIAL AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT

'fho Conciliation Council sat again yesterday to liear the dispute between the Otago General Labourers' Union and the builders and contractors. Mr J. R. Triggs presided. Nearly 220 parties were cited in addition to the linns who had 'been citud in the previous day's dispute, but who had been joined in with the builders and contractors. Messrs John Vernon, C. M'Laren, and J. Brown acted as assessors for the union, with Mr J. E. MacManus as agent, and Messrs U. Simpson, J. A. Dempster, and ,M. Stevenson were the assessors for the employers.

■. Mr W. G. Smith applied for exemption on behalf of the Union Steam Ship Company, which, lie said, dkl not <lo any general conn acting.—The application waa granted.

Mi' ,). J. Jones said that about 60 per cent, of tho parties cited were not really employers of labour, What position were thev m'/

The Commissioner replied that if they did not employ any labour then they were under no hardship. He asked what Mr Jones suggested.

Mr Jones said that some' of the men cited might occasionally employ a man for a day aiKl he might be agreeable to receive say, 10s a day, whereas the assessors might lix the minimum at 12s. The people concerned had endeavoured-to raise a meeting to appoint assessors of their own, but they had not succeeded owing to tho fact that the parties concerned, 'ivero spread over a vide area.

The Commissioner said that ho could not strike off the names of such parties. It was for the persons concerned to satisfy tho court that they should bo struck oft, and then they would he struck off.

.Mr Stevenson applied to have Mossts Seddon and Roihwdi, of MosgioJ, added to ■the citation.—This was granted. Consideration was then given to tho first clause of the union's demands—that relating to the hours of work. , It stipulated for a week of 44 hours, to bo worked between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., with cjio hour for lunch, on the first live cliiys, and 3 a.m. to 12 on Saturdays. The counter-proposals of tho employers asked that the houiis of labour for men engaged in concreting and pick-and-ahovel work, in connection with building or demolition operations, should be 44 hourß per week, made up of eight hours per day'on five days between 7.30 a.m. and 5.30, and four hours on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 12 noon. It wae further stipulated that when it was necessary to prepare material for work before the ordinary hours of commencing tho employers could employ men for not more than half an hour prior to the ordinary time of commencing, at the ordinary rate of pay. Air Stevenson, shaking on 'behalf of the contractors, wanted a provision made that the hours of work for men employed filling drays should be 4G hours a week, work not to start before 7 a.m. or finish later than 6 p.m. It could be a matter of arrangement by each employer to suit his own business.

Tho union's representatives retired for a few minutes to discuss this proposal, and on returning said that they would agree that carters should be permitted to do labouring work for four hours on Saturday afternoons until the existing carters' award expired. Mr Stevenson pointed out that that did not get over his difficulty. He wanted a week of 48 hours.

Mr MacManus then intimated that tho workers would just as soon have the question of hours referred to the court.

The Commissioner euggested that perhaps it would bo better for the contractors to have it separate award or else to stand in with the local bodies.

This suggestion 'was held over in the meantime while consideration was given to the hours proposals of the two assessors who represented the builders Mr MacManus said that tlie men -would agree to these proposals, but they would like to know why' work was to begin at 7.30 a.m. instead of 8 o'clock'.

Sir .Simpson explained that the buildere usually started at b a.m. anc| would continue to do so, but tho employers'wanted to have the option so as to meet the case should it be necessary to curry out some work in an office or store before business commenced.

Mr MacManus said that the workers would agree to that clause on the understanding that the eight hours would bo adhered to.

Mr Stevenson, speaking on behalf of the contractors, said that he could not agree to that unless sub-clause B in tho employers' proposals, providing that pick-and-shovel men and concrete men might work 48 hours without overtime pay on Saturday afternoons, was agreed to.

The Commissioner, recognising the difference between contracting ant! building, said that lie etill thought it would bo better for the contractors to go in with the local bodies.

ill- Stevenson: Not just now. Mr Simpson said lie understood that, if Mr Stevenson got 6ub-clati6e 15 in, whon it cmno up ho would be prepared to agree to the hours clause.

Mr Stevenson said that that was so. Consideration was then given to tho wages clause.

The workers asked in their demands that men employed at hod-carrying, scaffolding, derrick hands, gantry hands, masons' labourers, plasterers' labourers, bricklayers' labourers, concrete workers, and wmcliincn should receive Is 6d per hour, all other labourers employed in connection with building operations Is per hour. These rates were objected to by the employers, who submitted counter-proposals as follows: Men employed at hod-carrvinrr, scaffolding, and men 'in charge of derricks and _ wheeling bricks on a scaffold shall receive Is Ud per. hour; all other labourers employed in connection with building operations to receive Is per hour. After a good deal of discussion on various points of the wages question, it was seen that no agreement could bo come to, and it was decided to let this clause, go to the_ Court. The men's clause as to subletting was agreed to. The clause " all contracts shall bo subject to the provisions of this award" was objected to by Mr Stevenson.

Mr MacManus said it was in the contractors' own interests. There waa a lot of difference between piecework and contracting. Tho Commissioner pointed out to Mr MacManus that the Court would not agree to such a clause

Mr MacManus: 'Well, the clause can go to tho Court.

The chief point in the men's clause with regard to tho payment of wages was that such payment should bo made weekly. The employers' clauso in this regard 'left to the option of the employers whether payment should be made weekly or fortnightly. Mr MacManm said the 6ooncr they could get on to a cash basis the better. Ho did not think it would ho any inconvenience to the employers to have to pay weekly. Mr Dempster:lt would bo a decided inconvenience.

The employers' proposal was agreed to. The_ following paid holidays were, aerecd on: New Year's Day. Good' Friday, Easter Monday, King's Birthday, Labour Day, Christmas Day, and Boxiiig Day. All tinio worked on these days and Sundays to bo paid at tho rate of double time.

_ The matter of overtime was next considered. The workers aeked for timo and a half for the first two hours and double time afterwards. The employer's proposed time and a quarter for the first four hours and time and a half afterwards.

Mr MacManus said that when a man did 85 hours' work ho had done quite onouirh. It was not right to work a man a:! 6orts of hour?.

Mr Simpson paid that tbt sort of thing did not exist in the building trade. . ' Mr MacManus: Well, where can the harm bo in putting, it in? Mr Simpson said they would giro time and a quarter for the iirst two hours and time and a half after.

This was accepted by the workers in regard to the five days, but not the Saturday. Sub-clause' B, the inclusion of which was desired by Mr Stevenson, was then taken, but it was decided to defer consideration till the afternoon.

Thi> nien't? demand "That all tool? bo provided by the employers" was then considered. After some discussion it, was decided to adopt this clause: " Each worker shall supply himself with one shovel when required. All other tools shall be supplied by the employer, but such tools shall be returned by tho worker or paid for." ' The next clause providing that hot water should be supplied by the employer for the men when finishing work for "lunch was objected to by Mr .Simpson. Objection was also made to the elauso requiring the provision on each job of shelter-sheds and proper sanitary conveniences. The employer's pointed out that they did not mind having to provide reasonable sanitary accommodation.

That portion of tho clause dealing with sanitary accommodation was agreed to, but it was decided to refer fc> the Court tho portion of the clause providing for changing sheds and the clause referring to tho provision of hot water at lunch hour. The, following clauses were agreed to at the afternoon sitting;—" The hours of work for men who are iiuploved at filling drays shall be 48 per week, and shall be arranged by each employer to suit his own busip.oas; provided no worker commences work beforg V.30 a.m. and finishes not later than 5.2!) p.m. in each day. The employer and employee may mutually agree to wo'rk a fraction of an hour overtime each day to make up for a Saturday llalf-holiday. This clause to remain in force only until the existing drivers' award expiree." "All men cent to a country job connected with the building trade shall bo conveyed or have their travelling expenses paid, and have their tune paid both going 10 and returning from the job, but once only during ibo continuance of the work if tho work is continuous, and an addition of Is 9d per each working day when the distance necessitates their lodging from home. They may work euch hours ao may be agreed upon between them and ttieir employers for the same rate of wages as set out in clause 2." " Ajiy worker who considers himself incapable ot earning the minimum wages fixed by this award may be paid 6Uch lower wage as may from timo to time be fixed, on the application of such worker, after duo notice to the union by the local inspector of factories or such other person as the court may from time to time appoint for that purpose; and such inspector or person in so fixing cuch wage sliall have regard to the worker's capability, his past earnings, and ench other circumstances as such inspector or other person may think lit to consider after hearing .such evidence and argument as the union and such worker shall olter." There were several sub-clauses which were also agreed to. Termination of work. —" One hour's novice to be given of resignation or dismissal."

Hie following matters were not agreed upon and wore referred to the Arbitration Court for settlement: —Working in w'Ot places for contractors, suburban work, preference, exemption of contracts, scope of award, and term of award. Tho usual complimentary vote of thanks was passed to Mr Triggs at the conclusion of tho sitting.

During tho proceedings before the council on Thursday Mr Montgomery, one of tho union's assessors, said that tho union would accept a minimum wago of Is 3d per hour on their own statement of claim or Is 2;>d with tho Christchurch provisions. By a typographical error tho latter figure was made to road Is Ijd.