PAINTING TRADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23353, 19 November 1937, Page 5

PAINTING TRADE

CONCILIATION PROCEEDINGS NEW WAGE RATES FIXED (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. Wage rales were fixed in Conciliation Council to-day by the parties to the Wellington and Otago-Southland paint and varnish workers’ dispute. Mr M. J. Reardon was the presiding commissioner.

The following classification and rates were adopted, to operate from the week beginning on December 3:— Leading hands, those in charge of three or more workers, £5 10s a week; shaders, £5; varnish cookers and gum runners, £5; workers engaged in mixing and grinding, £4 15s; other adult workers, £4 10s; workers on night shift, 2s a shift extra; casual workers. 2s 6d an hour; junior workers, commencing rates 15 to 18£ years, 15s to 40s, with an advance each six months to make 65s at 'lB s years; 18| to 20J years, commencing rates 50s to 70s. with an advance each six months to make 70s at 20£ years. Wages are to be paid weekly on any day but Saturday. A 40-hour week was agreed on, to consist of eight hours on five days of the week between 7.30 a.m. and 5 p.m with at least three-quarters of an hour for a meal. Eight hours are to constitute a night shift. The overtime rate was fixed at time and a-half and double time after four hours, with a minimum rate of Is 6d an hour. In all cases where a worker is given notice to work overtime after a meal interval the minimum payment is to be for at least two hours, provided that work done up to and including half an hour shall be deemed half an hour for the purpose of overtime. The workers’ claim for an extra holiday for the union picnic day was dropped, but Anniversary Day was granted by the employers, whose offer of an annual holiday from December 23 to January 4, exclusive, was also accepted. The proportion of workers in the mixing, dry mixing, and grinding and varnish departments is not to exceed one youth to three seniors, and the average over all departments is one youth to one senior. The following dangerous work clause was adopted:—Employers must in the case of workers engaged in the working of any paint process deemed by the Department of Health to be dangerous to the health of the workers, provide respirators of a type deemed efficient by the department. For workers employed in the varnish department gloves shall be provided where necessary. The workers’ claims under general conditions referred to the court were: (a) Ten minutes “ smoko ” in the morning and afternoon, and 20 minutes “ crib time ” o*. night shift; (b) five minutes on the completion of each day’s work for cleaning up and washing; (c) one pint of milk daily for workers in the paint, varnish, and lead corroding departments. The award is to operate in the Wellington and Otago-Southland industrial districts, and is to remain in force for one year from date.