TIMBER WORKERS’ DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23364, 2 December 1937, Page 12

TIMBER WORKERS’ DISPUTE

CONCILIATION PROCEEDINGS AGREEMENT ON SOME POINTS (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 1. The hearing of the New Zealand timber workers’ industrial dispute was continued in the Conciliation Council to-day before Mr M. J. Reardon, conciliation commissioner. After spending the morning discussing interpreta. tions, the hours of work were dealt with, an agreement being reached on a number of points. A five-day 40hour week. Monday to Friday inclusive, was agreed to in principle for almost general application to the timber trades, but certain exceptions were made. Extensions of hours to include a half-day’s work on Saturday were agreed upon in cases of box factories, town timber yards in regard to supplying dunnage for ships, establishments operating drying-kilns, and employees required for loading for shipment or for lorrying. A provisc was made, however, that in such cases the total of hours worked should not exceed 160 hours in four weeks nor more than 48 in any one week. In bush sawmhls every attempt was to be made to work 40 hours on five days of the week, but the men so engaged might be permitted to make up the time lost during the preceding five days on a Saturday. Mills in isolated situations, it was agreed, would be made exceptions as far as the restriction of hours of work to a five-day 40-hour week was concerned, but the decision as to what mills were to be so excepted was left to the Disputes Committee. The hearing is expected to end tomorrow.