MOTOR MECHANICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22295, 22 June 1934, Page 7

MOTOR MECHANICS

CLAIM FOR DOMINION AWARD PARTIAL AGREEMENT REACHED .At a sitting of the Conciliation Council in Christchurch on Tuesday a dispute was heard between the Amalgamated Engineering arid Allied Trades' Industrial Association of Workers (New' Zealand Council), as applicants, and the New Zealand Motor Trade Association and.others, as respondents. The applicants asked for a Dominion award governing the working conditions and wages of motor mechanics. Their, demands were based on the.award in force before the wages reductions were made. The employers, in reply, asked for conditions similar to those decided upon by the Alotor Trade Association in 1932 when the Dominion award lapsed. The dispute concerned a iarge number of employers and about 2000 workers. M , The conciliation commissioner (Mr o. Ritchie) presided. The assessors for the applicants were Messrs E. Burbidge (Auckland), J. Hattersley (Christchurch), A. Black (Wellington), G. X. Thurston (Christchurch), J. Scorgie (Greymouth), A. J. Rice (Dunedin), and J. Roberts (Wellington). Those for the respondents were Messrs F. B. Cadman (Auckland), E. J. M. Ferguson (Mew Plymouth), W. I. Macdonald, G./ Dickenson (Christchurch), James Black (Dunedin), and J. F. Cousins (Wellington). Mr T. O. Bishop (Wellington) was present as employers; agent. The employers asked for permission to employ men as improvers for two years after ' the completion of five years' apprenticeship and to increase the proportion of apprentices employed. Mr Thurston said that the employers' demands, if agreed to, would enable a man to employ 12 boys with only six mop on a petrol bowser station. "He would be a fool to do so," he declared. "For once I agree with you." Mr Hayward interjected. HOURS OF WORK. The employees asked for a 4'o-hour week, the employers asking for 44 hours. The mtftor industry had displaced a great deal of labour, Mr Roberts said, and it was the duty of the industry to reduce hours and employ more men. The applicants asked for 2s 3d an hour for journeymen. 2s Hd for assemblers and vulcanisers, and Is lid for : other garage workers. They also asked for the following weekly wages for apprentices: —Under 16 years, £1 7s; 16 to 17, .£1 15s: 17 to 18, £2 3s; 18 to 19, £2 13s; 19 to 20, £3 3s. Workers employed on oxy-acetylene and electric welding to l? paid an additional Is a day. The employers offered Is lOd an hour for mechanics, Is BJd for assemblers ind vulcanisers, Is 7d far garage attendants and first-year improvers, and Is 8d lor second-year improvers. They ottered pa a week for first-year assistants, 20s tor the second year, £1 5s for the third year, £1 15s for the fourth year, and £2 •"« for the fifth year. After a retirement the employers agent said that' no offer would be made as to waees. - .. "If the employers are sincere tney don't want an agreement," Mr Roberts said Skilled men cauld not be expected to work for Is 10d an hour when unskilled workers were receiving up to that figme ' REDUCED DEMANDS.

The applicants retired later and. when they returned. Mr Roberts said they had agreed to amend their wages proposals. The offer they were going to make was a reasonable one. Certificated workerhad been mentioned and the amendments suggested were: —Certificated workers, 2s 2d° an hour; journeymen mechanics, 2s; assemblers and vulcanisers, Is lid; other workers, Is lOd.

The. applicants had reduced their demands by 3d in the higher grades, by 2Jd in the second grade, and "by Id in the third grade, Mr Roberts said. "We believe the employers should give this offer every consideration," he continued. "The time has come in New Zealand when the idea that wages can be forced down and down is gone. , The workers have reached the point where, if there is no hope there is no fear. Unless the workers have something to look forward to they are not much concerned about what may happen. Two shillings an hour for a 40-hour week is only £4 a week, and for a 44-hour week it is only £4 8s; many unskilled workers get more than that." \A round-table discussion followed, each side refusing, to give way further. The employers said the industry had certainly showed an upward trend, but they did not think the improvement had gone far enough to justify a better offer at present. The employees' assessors, replied that they were offering to meet the employers, and if the employers would meet them on their wages demands an award could be made. Mr Roberts said the workers were very anxious to make an agreement. They had made a very fair offer, but it had been waved aside. They had considered the matter further and would make a tentati e offer for certificated workers at 2s Id, journeymen Is lid, assemblers and vulcanisers Is lOd, and other workers Is 9d. They wanted to discuss this offer at an executive meeting, and if the employers would agree to consider it, the matter could be settled at once.

In making the offer' they had gone below the limit authorised, and would ask for some concessions in the conditions. They suggested an award for 6ix months, the parties during that time to set up a committee to report on the position of certificated men. It was in the interest of motorists.to have fully qualified men in all garages. Mr Bishop said the employers were prepared to submit the last offer to their several districts, a stipulation being that wages for garage attendants should not exceed £3 15s a week as that work was unprofitable. At this stage the proceedings were adjourned until the following day. When the council resumed on Wednesday it reached a tentative agreement, and on most points a definite agreement was concluded. The nsspssors for the employers agreed to submit the applicants' wage proposals to the districts concerned, and the points not completely settled will be , further considered on Wednesday, July 4, to which date the council was adjourned.