THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19970, 11 December 1926, Page 20

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES. By J. T. Paul. DOMINION DRIVERS’ DISPUTE. This dispute, which has been filed by the Drivers’ Federation is still in progress. Last month a conference was held at Auckland at which representatives of employers and employees from all over the Dominion attended and some progress was made during the three days over which it extended. The application is made in sections comprising general drivers, bus drivers, and taxi drivers but the only section settled so far is ihat of the service drivers (men driving service cars from one centre to another). Their hours have been fixed at 96 per fortnight at a minimum wage of £5 per week, and 14 days’ annual holiday on full pay. A further conference has been arranged to deal with the other sections to sit at Wellington today, after which the court will deal with it next week. A NEW ZEALANDER ABROAD. Mr J. Clark, secretary of the Auckland Plumbcs’ Union, and workers' representative on the Plumbers’ Board of New Zealand, returned from England by the Awara after a six months’ trip to the Old Country. He visited various parts of England, Scotland, and France, and saw much of interest from all points of view. Mr Clark was through the Old Country during the miners' strike. One thing that greatly impressed him was the splendid organisation shown by the Labour officials in making collections on behalf of the distressed families of the men out on strike. In every city or town in Great Britain he passed through, this organisation was displayed, and it was wonderful to see the generosity displayed by all classes in contributing to' the needs of those affected by one of the greatest industrial struggles prolonged over six weary months that Great Britain has ever known There was no promiscuous passing round the hat, such as we have known at times in New Zealand, but sealed boxes under official guarantee were to bo found all over the land. MASS PRODUCTION. “Under the old industrial system, a skilled tradesman would have had a training under skilled guidance which would give him an expert knowledge of his trade,” says Sir Edward Anson, director of the Birmingham Guild, in the Daily Newfe. “Nowadays it is no uncommon thing to hear a man lay claim to being a skilled machinist because for a term of months or years he has worked a lathe or a drill that is so constructed that by no means can he make a mistake with it.: It has been said that half the misery of life is caused by monotony, and what could be more monotonous than spending day after day pulling the same handle or filling the same hopper? It is incredible to me that the human brain, can stand such a test of idleness and not become completely atrophied. Craftsmanship and the pride of good work well done appear to me to be the greatest aids to production. The owner of a factory in which this spirit is prevalent should be a happy man, for his workpeople will be contented and satisfied. The manager of a mass production business can never know this spirit, for his method is in direct opposition to craftsmanship in any form whatsoever. Personally, I am of opinion that this point alone is sufficient to damn mass production in the eyes of any thinking man, and especially in the eyes, of any far-seeing factory owner. There are better ways of increasing the turnover of a business than by converting good, contented workmen into men whose only pastime is grumbling, and whose only pride of work is in the feeling that without them some brand of standardised clothing would be one button short.” FARM WORKERS’ AWARD IN NEW SOUTH WALES. The following are some of the principal clauses in the Agricultural Board’s award to govern conditions of employment in the rural industry in New South Wales:— That all labour to be performed in the various employments hereinafter set out shall hereafter be carried on at the rates and upon the conditions hereinafter set out applicable to each and such classes of labour. Preference of employment shall be given to financial members of the Australian Workers’ Union, provided that in each case of the employment of a new employee no question of preference shall be deemed to have arisen when such employee, if be is not a member of the said union at the time of employment, becomes a member within two weeks of starting work and maintains his financial status thereafter. The following are the wages set down:— Per day Harvesting— with keep. Sheaf pitchers 147Bag sewers 14/Stookers 14/Other harvest hands .... • • 147Drivers of reaper, binder, thresher, header, stripper, and harvester 187Stack builders and thatchers 237Team and tractor drivers .. .. 147Fodder pressere 137Potato diggers 137Maize pickers 137Maize threshers 137Pea and bean pickers 137Permanent farm hands, £2 15s per week, with keep. Casual farm hands 14/If any of the above functions are performed by piecework the above rates must be guaranted. Rates for Youths. Per week with keep. 16 to 17 years 15/17 to 18 years 20/18 to 19 years 25/19 to 20 years 30/20 to 21 years 40/The number of youths to be employed shall not be more than one to every three adults employed. Farm hands doing harvesting work shall receive harvesting rates when so employed. If men find themselves in food they shall be allowed the sum of fl 6s 6d per week. The ordinary hours of work for harvest hands shall not exceed 50 hours per week, and for permanent farm hands 52 hours per week. Time and a-half shall be paid for all work performed in excess of 50 hours per week for harvest hands and 52 hours per week for permanent liands, and time and a-half for Sundays and holidays. Wages and accrued overtime shall be paid by cash weekly or as mutually arranged. The following days shall be observed as holidays for permanent hands and be paid for at ordinary rates: New Year’s Day> Anniversary Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Anzao Day, Eight-Hour Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and any day on which a State or Federal election is held. Where Eight-hour Day is not a fixture, workmen may be granted another day in lieu, such as for local show or district picnic. The latter is not to be paid for under other conditions. In addition to the holiday? enumerated in clause 7 hereof each employee after completion of 12 months’ service shall be entitled to one week’s leave of absence on full pay; provided that where an employee may agree to allow prescribed holidays to accumulate they may be taken along with his annual leave. Where an employee is engaged for any portion of a day at a higher grade work than that at which he is ordinarily engaged he shall bo paid for the day at the higher rate Casual labour shall mean an employee who is employed for any less period than six days. Accommodation shall be provided in accordance with the Rural Workers’ Accommodation Act of 1925 or any amendments thereof. Any officer authorised by the union may enter upon any land or premises on which operations are carried on, and inspect the said work and interview the employees, providing ho does not interfere with the working time of the employees. Faros of employees proceeding to wbrk from the place of engagement shall be paid by the employer if the employee is employed for six months or more Harvest hands and casual employees shall be conveyed free of cost from rail head or the nearest town to the farm. With respect to permanent employees, a week’s notice shall be given by either party. In such part of this award as applied to daily workers two days’ notice shall be deemed sufficient; casual workers shall be given notice the night before. The duration ol the award is two years.