NEW AWARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22751, 11 December 1935, Page 9

NEW AWARD

GAINS AND LOSSES

The consensus of opinion in waterfront circles regarding the merits of the new Federal award under which the strikers have refused to work is that the gains outweigh the losses by a considerable margin (says the Sydney Morning Herald of December 6). While the militants claim that most concessions and privileges have been lost, responsible opinion is that the seamen have retained the majority of their conditions and have', in addition, received substantially increased wages. The secretary of the Australasian Steamship Owners' Federation (Mr C. Dillon) said yesterday that the new award provides for an increase of £1 8s 6d a month for all adult ratings, and that some of the juniors will get £3 a month above the old award rate. The meal hour allowance is increased from 2s to 4s, and provision is made for extra rates for working bunker coal, and for compensation of effects lost in shipwrecks. As against these gains the men have lost 3d an hour overtime, and also deferred sailing overtime rates, while penal clauses are made more severe. Altogether the new award gives the men about 20 gains and four losses. The losses suffered by seamen under the award are set out in the official organ of the Seamen's Union as follows :

Overtime rates have been reduced from 2s 9d to 2s Gd.

Keeping steam for cargo, skippers of lipids, hatches and beams, are not regarded as cargo work. Hours for night watchman, from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. Hourly rate reduced by 3d and 4d less in assisting shifting ship. Deferred sailing not included in present award, but employers under penalty if breach is committed.

The seamen, according to the official organ, have secured gains in 20 clauses. The increases in wages range from fl os to £3 2s 6d. Other gains include : 25 per cent, additional wage for short terms of employment for less than 14 days. Meal and Bed Allowance.—lncrease from (5s Cd per day to 8s 6d per day away from home port, 2s increase in bed allowance, but the increase in bed allowance docs not apply at home port. Shipwreck gift of up to £2O in ease of effects being lost through shipwreck. Boiler Work.—One shilling per hour additional rates for performance of such work in port.

Trimming coal outside of bunker space, if work performed on watch, Is per hour; 3s 6d when off watch.

Compensation for loss of employment through shipwreck, not less than two months' wages and victualling allowance, unless members refuse to accept employment offered by the employer. Right of refusal to perform working cargo in port if waterside workers. are available. If waterside workers are not available, the additional wage for performing this work is 2s per hour between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and 2s 6d per hour on Sunday and holidays for mails, passengers' luggage and motor cars, and 3s 9d per hour for ordinary cargo. Ships cannot be treated at sea in main port, even although vessels may arrive and depart again on same day, and watches cannot be kept under those circumstances, except in those ports mentioned in this clause.

Saturday afternoon off in port under certain conditions.

No mention of mooring or unmooring in the award. This work is classed as ordinary hours of iabour for the day, and overtime payment claimable in future if performed after eight hours have already been completed. Setting watches for stokehold and engine room two hours prior to intended departure instead of three hours as previously. Minimum of three hours' overtime payment if required to come aboard in home port on Sundays and holidays; 3s 9d per hour overtime rates for working general cargo. Anzac Day, additional holiday at sea. Although the 14 days' annual leave has not been actually extended, the present clause is an improvement upon the old clause when leave is granted during a time when ordinary holidays intervene, such as Christinas time and Easter holidays.

Meals nust be cooked for crew when ship is in port on Sundays and holidays in future; if not, the meal allowance as provided for must be paid. If bilges are cleaned by men at sea at night when on watch, 2s per hour extra. If done off watch at night at sea, 4s 6d per hour. If tubes are cleaned at sea, 2s per hour extra during ordinary working hours; if done outside ordinary working hours or off watch, 4s 6d per hour. Ashes made in port to be discharged prior to departure in all ships in future, whereas in the past this only applied to passenger ships. The sickness clause now provides for continuation of wages and maintenance when returned to the home port before recovery, until certified recovered. Section 132 of the Navigation Act and our old agreement only provided for wages and not maintenance after a seamen had returned to the home port before recovery.