CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18592, 28 June 1922, Page 9

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

ENGINEERS’ DISPUTE.

PARTIAL AGREEMENT REACHED,

Mr W. H. Hanger (Conciliation Commissioner) held a sitting of the Conciliation Council yesterday morning for the purpose of hearing' a dispute between the Dunedin branch of the Amalgamated Engineering Union and the employers cf Otago and Southland. The assessors for the union were Messrs S. J. Elston, W. J. Lawson, A. J. Rice, and R. F. Barter (of Auckland, agent), and for the employers Messrs W. RWaters, Jas. Black, G. Gray, and T. M. Gillies (agent). The union’s demands asked for a week of 40 hours, the hours of work to be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first five days of the week. It was also asked that in each four hours worked, a quarter of an hour should be allowed for a “smoko” or that smoking should be allowed in working hours. The minimum rates of wages asked were as follows: —Pattern-makers, 2s 9d per hour; fitters, turners, blacksmiths, coppersmiths, tool-makers, die-sinkers, brass-finishers and polishers, eleotroplaters, millers, millwrights. universal grinders, gunsmiths, electricians, gear cutters, planers, slotters, shapers, and borers, 2s 6d per hour; oxyacetylene and electric welders. Is 6d per day extra on the above rates; foremen, 5s per day extra; and ohargemon directed to take charge of any job, 2s 6d per day extra above the minimum rates, provided that the job shall extend for one day or more; all wages to be paid weekly and not later than Friday in the employers’ time; drillers and screwers, 2s 5d per hour. Special rates of pay were also asked for men working in high and low temperatures and for dirty work. No worker was to be compelled to work in a temperature above 120 degrees. In their counter claims the employers asked that a week’s work should be 47 hours, of which eight and a-half hours should he worked on five days and four and a-half hours on the day of the half-holiday. The following minimum rates of pay were suggested : —Pattern-makers, blacksmiths, coppersmiths. fitters, turners, millwrights, tool-makers, brass-finishers, milling machinists, and universal grinders. Is 8d per hour; machinists on planing or slotting machines, shapers and boring mills, Is 6jd; when engaged on stock catalogue work, Is bid per hour,; wages to be paid weekly on Fridays and within 10 minutes after knockmg-ofi time. . ' Mr Barter, speaking in support. o f the proposal for a 40-hour week, said that it would do a great deal to relieve the present unemployment. If an employer had 10 men working for 44 hours a week he could employ an extra man by reducing the number of houra to 40. The present award was 44 hours, but at present the employers were not working full time, because they could not find a full week’s work. _ Mr Gillies said the short week increased the overhead charges and lowered the efficiency all round. After some further discussion it was agreed that a week’s work should consist of 44 hours as in the present award. The sub-clause in regard to the “smoko” was withdrawn by the union, the matter being left to the employers individually. The present holidays were agreed to. and the question of paying for work done on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, January ?, Good Friday. Easter Monday, and Anzac Day was referred to the Court The clauses relating to night shift (excepting wageel. hot and cold work, and a number of other minor matters were agreed to in terms of the old award. The Auckland award was accepted by the parties in the matter of dirty work. The clauses referred to the Court included wages, the branches of trade covered by the award, apprentices, piece-work, access to workshop, overtime, improvers, and underrate workers. It was decided that the award should apply to Otago and Southland, and that its term should be for one year.