CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17104, 8 September 1917, Page 5

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

THE ENGINEERS' DISPUTE.

The Conciliation Council eat in Dunedin yostorday to consider tho dispute tiled by tho utago arid fcibuthland Industrial Union of Engineers and Tinamithe. Mr J. It. Triggs (Conciliation Commissioner) presided, and tho assessors were: Ji'or the union— Messrs A. E. Ohurohill, A. J. Rice, H. Walker, and Elstoa; for the employers— Meesre J. Stevenson, 11. Watera, Goorgo Gray, J. Brown (agent for Mothvun and Co.), W. G. Smith and T. C. Cordodc (agents for tho Union Company), and Mr A. S. Cookson (employers' representative). Tho employees claimed a 44 houra' week, overtime to bo paid at the rate of time and a-half for tho firet two hours, and doublo time thereafter, time and α-half for work dono in meal hours. Further, in case.3 where a worker has been engaged all day and all night, and is required to continue working on into any portion of the next day, double timo. They also claimed that systematic overtime should not bo permitted, such to mean oantiauoue overtime for two weeks, after which no time shall bo worked for a period of two weeks. No worker shall bo allowed to work more than 12 hours overtime in any one week. Tho limitation of tho hours of overtime not to apply to repairs of breakdowns to plant or machinery of any employer coming within tho scope of tho award. Apprentices to be allowed to vvork not moro than six hours' overtime in any one week, and such overtime not_ to interfere with their attendance at technical olasses. Holidays to be paid for at double the ordinary rates. The wages to be 2s per hour for pattern-makers, and Is lid per hour for fitters, tumors, blacksmiths, coppersmiths, tool makers, die-sinkers, brass founders, milling , machinists, millwrights, motor mechanics, universal grinders, oxyactoylene and eleotrio workers, welders, gear cutters, planers, shapers, Blotters, borers, tin plate and steel metal workers, cycle workers; Is 8d per hour for drillers, scrimers, assemblers, brass polishers. In oases where men aro plaoed in charge of a job, these men to receive a rise of 25s per cent., in addition to the wages they wero in receipt of at the date of the filing of the award, this incr-easo to be paid only when suoh men direct the work of other workmen.

The employers' counter-claims were based on the old award, which provided for a 47hour week, overtime at time and a-quarter for the first two hours, time and _ a-half for tho next two hours, and doublo time thereafter, until the ordinary time for commencing work next morning. They provided, also, for a break of four houre in cases where men worked during the day and nright, and no doable time where (the worker is called upon to work tho next day, provided the four hours' break is granted. Journeymen workers required to commence work between the hours of 6 a.m. and tho ordinary time for commencing work shall bfi paid at the rate of time and a-quartor for such time. Double timfe shall be paid for all holidays, and not more than six hours to bo worked continuously without an interval for a moaL With respect to night shifts, tho journeymen to be paid 2g per shift extra if working on three or more consecutive nights; this not to apply to workers engaged on permanent night shifts of eight houra. Should the latter bo asked to continue working next day, they should bo paid at double-time rate. Minimum wage to engineers, pattern-makers, millwrights, tool makers, coppersmiths, blacksmiths, and braes finishers to be Is per hour. ' For adult workers engaged on stock catalogue work, Is 3d per hour, to be only paid to men with practical experience m tho branch in which they aro employed. The various clauses were discussed at different periods, but no agreement was arrived at. The workers objected to tho stock catalogue clause, and pressed their claims for the 25 per cent, increase to chargomen, and objected to any system of overtime. Tbo employers would not agree to tho tinsmiths being included in the award. The Commissioner asked the men if they were prepared to accept Is 6d per hour, plus 2d per hour war bonus, and drop all their other demands, including tho tinsmiths. - . . . , Mr Elston, after conferring with his colleagues, intimated that they could nofc drop the tinsmiths, and therefore it would bo as well to allow the case to go to the Arbitration Court. This was agreed to.