CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23505, 20 May 1938, Page 3

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES SETTLED MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS A dispute between the Dunedin Manufacturing Chemists’ Industrial Union of Workers and 27 employers was dealt with at a sitting of 'the Conciliation Council yesterday. The commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) presided, and the assessors for the employers were Messrs A. P. Greenfield, J. N. Murdoch, W. B. Seymour, and A. S. Cookson, while the assessors for the workers were Messrs T. A. Brown, A, C. Munro. D. Simpson, and J. Robinson. The workers claimed a 40-hour week, to be worked between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. between Monday and Friday, but workers employed in the manufacture of malt extract might be employed on shift work outside the ordinary clock hours prescribed, provided that a shift should consist of not more than eight hours, including 30 minutes crib time, which was to be paid for, shift workers to be paid 3s a shift in addition to the rates prescribed, and workers employed on less than three shifts in any week not to be considered shift workers. The minimum rates for adult male workers t- be: Laboratory assistants and men in charge of pill room (qualified), £6 13s a week; unqualified, £5 10s; pill coater, £5 7s 6d; all other workers, £5, Minimum rates for female workers to be 20s weekly for the first six months, with a halfyearly increase of not less than 4s weekly until the end of the fourth year, and thereafter not less than £2 10s a week. Boys and youths might be employed in the proportion of one to every three fully paid adult male workers at rates increasing from £ 1 2s in the first six months to £2 2s in the sixth six months and from £2 12s in the fourth year to £3 2s 6d in the fifth year, thereafter not less than the minimum rate payable to adult male workers. Recognised paid holidays claimed were Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and the intervening days including New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anniversary Day, Anzac Day, Labour Day, and the birthday of the reigning Sovereign—double time to be paid for any work done on those days. Overtime to be paid for at the rate of time and a-half for the first three hours and double time thereafter.

The employers submitted as their counter proposals the existing award, except that in establishments which handled fruit and other seasonal and perishable goods workers might be employed during the months from December to March inclusive for four hours on Saturday mornings, weekly workers so employed to be paid, in addition to the weekly wage, ordinary time rates assessed on an hourly basis, plus 10 per cent, for the time worked; workers employed for less than one week to be deemed casuals, the minimum rates of pay to be: Adult males, ,2s 6d an hour; adult females, Is 3d an hour. A complete settlement on all points was eventually reached, wages being decided upon as follows:—Qualified laboratory assistants, £6 Is fid, unqualified, £4 18s; all other workers, £4 10s; youths from £1 to £3 5s on their fifth year, thereafter adult rates; females. 17s fid to £2 2s fid on theif third year, thereafter adult female rates. The holidays on which wages were to be paid were fixed at the ordinary statutory holidays, plus the intervening days between Christmas and New Year. A 40-hour week was agreed upon, with overtime at time and a-half for the first three hours, thereafter double time. The award will apply to those engaged in the manufacture, bottling, and packing of condiments, essences, jelly-crystals, coffee, spices, maltextract, and chemical products and foodstuffs for veterinary, medicinal, and household use in the Otago and Southland industrial districts COAL MINE WORKERS IMPORTANT HOLIDAY CLAUSE The hearing of the dispute between the Otago Coal Miners’ Industrial Union of Workers and a number of employers was concluded yesterday afternoon The assessors for the applicants were Messrs J T. Ratcliffe, F Crook. J Perry, G. C. McDonald and A. McLagan, and for the employers Messrs F Carson, T. H Hay, F Barclay. G Scurr, and T O. Bishop (Wellington). The claims of the workers comprised a schedule of 50 clauses ranging from hours of work and rates of pay to general provision in connection with the industry. A complete settlement was reached, the most important clause being that dealing with holidays This set out that after 12 months’ continuous service, holidays would be granted at the rate of one day for every 20 or fraction of 20 worked, After the first year, if the employment should be terminated because of trading conditions, the worker would receive holiday payment on the basis ol cne day for every 20 worked Holidays were to be taken between December 24 and January 4 Time lost through sick ness, not exceeding 60 days in the year, time lost through accident not exceeding 120 days in the year, and time lost through attention to union business not exceeding 20 days in the year, would be counted as time worked and holiday allowance oaid accordingly The date of the award was referred to the Arbitration Court for decision.