CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20743, 14 June 1929, Page 13

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

METAL WORKERS’ ASSISTANTS’ UNION. PARTIAL AGREEMENT REACHED. . Mr W. H. nagger, Conciliation Commissioner, presided at a sitting of the Conciliation Council yesterday, when nn industrial dispute between the Dunedin Engineers, Metal Workers, and Iron and Brassfouuders’ Union and others and the Otago Metal Workers' Assistants’ Union was considered, Messrs John A. Brown, T. M. Gillies, and- T. Marlow (with Mr A. S. Cooksou as agentJ were the assessors for the employers, and Messrs W. Gibbs, .1. Smith,’ and J. M’Connell (with Mr .1. Robinson as agent) the assessors for the union.

The commissioner said he understood some objection was to be made by certain people regarding the clause covering "dirty” work,- He thought they had better take the objection first. Mr A. Campbell 1 secretary, of the Port Chalmers Waterside Workers’ Union) and Mr S. B. M’Donald; (secretary of the Dunedin Union) said they appeared on behalf of the Waterside Workers' Federation to object to the inclusio’. of the clause regarding “ dirty ” work on ships in the metal workers award. This clause was already in the Waterside .Workers’ Union award.

■ Mr Robinson said that previously this work had been done by the boiler workers and their assistants, but that during the *var it was taken over by the waterside workers. The rate of pay had then been fixed, but the metal workers had never fixed it. The commissioner said it seemed to him that this clause could be left to the decision of the employers. It was not a question that arose between two unions, and he thought it was for the employers to say whether a man they employed for ” dirty ” work should be a member of the Waterside Workers’ Union or of the Metal Workers’ Union. Mr Cookson said that the court had held that an employer could employ any man, irrespective of whether lie was h member, of a particular union or not, so long as he paid the wages specified.

Mr Gillies said if they were employing a labourer it was impossible for them to take him off and employ a waterside worker, to do " dirty ’ work. , The commissioner said that a worker cohld not be bound by two awards, where there were .the same conditions of work.

Mr-Campbell said that his union had been bound by an award regarding the clause since 1008. Mr Brown said so far as his business was concerned they were not affected by workers on ships. ■ The commissioner said he thought the best thing to do was to refer the point to the court. It could decide which union should he governed by the clause. In the meantime the unions might agree to sonic arrangement on the matter, and' the employers could object or therwisc.

When the council met after luncheon adjournment Mr Robinson said thej’ had met the , representatives of the Waterside Workers’ Union,. and lit had been decided. to withdraw that part of the .metal workers’ clause dealing with “dirty” work where It conflicted with the “dirty” work clause, in' the waterside workers’ award. HATES OF PAY. -

The union asked for the following minimum rates of -wages:—-Planers, shapers,.slottcrs, and borers, 2s 2LI per hour; cupola furnacemen, 2s 3d; assistant fnrnaceinen, 2s Id; plate ami angleiron furnacemen, 2s 2d; all other machinists, 2s lid; cnamcllera, 2s 2d; strikers, 2s lid; strikers and hainim# drivers, 2s 2Acl; boilermakers’ assistants, 2s lid; moulders’ assistants and fettlevs,'2s lid; all steel ; sash, lift, and grill workers, 2s lid; adult workers after three years’ experience in sash, lift, and grill work, 2s 3d; repair work on ships and marine boiler work, 2s lid; implement assemblers, 2s lid; all other workers, '2s.

The employers, offered to pay the following wages:—Planers, simpers,., slottors, and borers, 2s Hd per hour; cupola furnaccmen, 2a 2d; all other machinists, '3a ,0.3d ; strikers. 2s Old; steel sash, lift, and grill workers, 2s Old; workers after three years’ adult- experience in sash, lift, and grill -work, 2s I4d; repair work on ships and marine boiler work, 2s Old; implement assemblers, 2s 04d; all other workers. Is KHd. After a lengthy discussion it was decoded to refer the wages clause to the court. WAGES FOR APPRENTICES. An agreement was come to as follows on the wages to be paid apprentices (the existing award)Under lb years of age, £1 Is per week; To to 10, £1 7s; 10 to 17, £1 lbs; 17 to 18, £2 Its; -IS to 10. £2 13s; 10 to 20, £3 3s. HOURS CLAUSE. Mr Robinson said that tbe boiler workers, engineers, and moulders hud agreed to the existing 44-hour week, and in the circumstances he agreed to waive the claim for a 40-hour week. . The .existing 44-hour week Was thereupon agreed to for all the classes of workers. CLASSIFICATION. After discussion on the classification of workers it was decided to agree to a clause providing that any worker in the'engineering and metal industries who is substantially employed in the class of work-, governed by the award, other than an apprentice, shall be deemed to he a metal worker’s assistant, GENERAL. The existing award regarding overtime. heat, sanitary and accommodation, travelling time, access to workshop and shop steward, etc.,,was adopted. It Was decided to refer clause (a) regarding preference, to the court, Mr Robinson stating that the court was now amplifying the clause to meet the cases of certain men who did not became members of the union. The assessors for the employers held out for the existing clause n '