DOMINION MUSICIANS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20318, 28 January 1928, Page 7

DOMINION MUSICIANS.

APPLICATION FOR AWARD. AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, January 27. The heaving of the application by the workers for a Dominion musicians’ award was concluded before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr P. Hally) to-day. The New Zealand Musicians’ Industrial Asso ciation was represented by Messrs T. Dallas (Dunedin), A. Williams (Wellington), J. E. Poore, F. Egerton, A. Prosser (Auckland), and A. Tongue (Christchurch). The employers were represented by Messrs Bert Royle, W. Haddow, and W. Burton (Wellington), F. Haigh (Christchurch), L. Quinn and G. Alexander (Auckland). At the hearing on Thursday a mutual agreement was reached on machinery clauses, which affect vaudeville and picture theatres, cabarets, skating rinks, broadcasting, etc. The question of wages was discussed to-day and Mr A. Prosser, who opened on behalf of the workers, in appealing for an increase of wages for the performers, stressed the fact that it was something more than the usual workers’ union. It was a profession, old in history and tradition. It was an art. The speaker referred to Orpheus and his lute and to Pan with his pipes. He appealed to the employers to consider the matter from the point of a profession, and not as a mere manual trade union, and so help the union to elevate its profession to what it should be. The wages scale was discussed at some length without any agreement being reached, and an adjournment was made to enable the players to hold a conference. After they had discussed the matter in private, the parties met again. Mr B. L. Hammond said the employers were prepared, subject to the whole award being settled now, to the wages clause being settled on the basis of the present award. The clauses were then gone through, and a complete agreement was reached. A week’s holiday on full pay at the end of 12 months’ service was agreed to. Other alterations or additions included the following: A female operating a. mechanical instrument shall be paid not less than Is per hour, and may be employed up to 36 hours as an operator or usher, the minimum wage to be that paid to female ushers in continuous picture shows; time in excess of 36 hours at time and a-half rate. The musician directing the orchestra to be paid £1 5s above ordinary award rates. The court reserves power to amend the award at any time on the application of any party or joint parties for the purpose of proscribing terms and conditions of employment of musicians in cabarets. The award is to operate, in Mr Prosser’s terms, when “ Sidey time ceases ” on March 4. Mr Hammond congratulated all concerned upon a complete agreement having been reached, and expressed the appreciation of the employers at the amicable way in which they had been mot by the other side. It was gratifying that the result had been a full settlement. Mr Prosser reciprocated, and agreeed that it was not the time to go in for an increase of wages, but they had got something which would benefit and uplift the profession.