LOCAL BODIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23648, 4 November 1938, Page 6

LOCAL BODIES

NEW AWARD FOR DRIVERS WAGES INCREASE OF 5* WEEKLY HOURS UNALTERED A general increase in wages of 5s per week for weekly workers, with a proportionate increase for hourly workers, Is provided by the New Zealand local bodies drivers’ award, which has been issued by the Second Court of Arbitration. Hours have been fixed at a maximum of 42i a week as in the expired award. The new award came into force on October 31, and will continue until March 31, 1940. A memorandum attached states that the court, in fixing wages, has acted in conformity with the pronouncement in the sugar workers’ dispute. “ It is necessary for drivers to attend to their horses or motor vehicles before the actual starting hour for labourers, and in many cases also to complete their day’s work after the labourers have ceased work,” the memorandum states. “The necessity for drivers to work longer hours than labourers has been recognised in previous awards, and. in the evidence submitted at the hearing of this dispute the court is satisfied that the industry cannot be efficiently carried on in less than the number of hours awarded.” Mr 'A. W. Croskery. workers’ representative on the court, does not agree with the decision of the majority of the court, but his dissenting opinion has not yet been released. The principal clauses settled by the court contain the following provisions: Hours of Work If more than nine hours’ work is done in any day, any excess beyond those hours shall be paid for at overtime rates., Except as mentioned elsewhere in the award, any work other than necessary attendance to horses or motor vehicles before 7 a.m. and after 5.30 p.m. on five days of the week, and before 7 a.m. and after 12 noon on the day of the weekly half-holiday, shall be paid for at overtime rates, whether or not the weekly limit shall have been exceeded. Where practicable, local bodies shall so arrange the hours of work as to enable drivers to work their ordinary weekly hours on the first five days of the week. Rates of Wages The minimum rates of wages shall he as follows:—For those driving and attending one horse, £4 13s per week; for those driving and attending two horses, £4 16s; for those driving and attending more than two horses, an evtra rate of 6d per day or 2s 6d per week shall be paid for each horse above two. Drivers of any class of motor vehicle with a combined weight of vehicle and maximum load not exceeding the weights set out in the following schedule shall be paid not less than the following rates:—Up to two tons (including motor cycles and tri-cars), £4 16s; over two tons and up to four tons. £4 18s 6d; over four tons and UP to five tons and a-half. £5 Is; over five tons and a-half and up to ten tons, £5 ss; over ten tons. £5 Bs. For those driving and attending to tractors not otherwise specified used in conjunction with trailers and/or graders. £5; for grader drivers. £5 10s. For tractor, scarifier, mechanical shovel, excavator, or any other motor propelled implement, and heavy road roller (other than steam drivers when engaged on work in connection with road construction or maintenance), 2s 6Jd per hour. ' For grader operators, £5 7s 6d. For workers operating small motor rollers such as footpath rollers. £4 16s. Drivers engaged carting sewerage or nightsoU should be paid 2s 3d per day in addition. Annual Holiday In addition to the statutory holidays, weekly workers covered by this award shall be granted one week’s holiday on full pay during each year of service with the same employer. A worker leaving his employment or being dismissed at any time shall be entitled to a holiday or equivalent pay proportionate to the time he has served. Emergency Work Emergency work shall mean work necessitated by wind. rain, fire, snow, storms, floods, tides and earthquakes, and requiring immediate attention to keep open or restore essential services, and shall include opening lake outlets. In the case of such emergency work, the following provisions shall apply:— Except on the holidays named, up to seven hours fnay be worked on any one day without payment of overtime, and time and a-half rates shall be paid beyond seven hours’ work on such days; on holidays provided for. ordinary time (in addition to the holiday payment provided for) shall be paid for the first seven hours, and time and a-half beyond the first seven hours. Drivers’ Duties It shall be part of the ordinary duty of a driver to assist when required In loading and unloading the employer’s vehicle. An employer may employ a worker who is substantially engaged as a driver at work outside his ordinary duties for the purpose of filling in time, but in such case he shall be paid not less than the award or ruling rate for such work, provided that for all the time in any week that he shall be doing drivers’ work he shall be paid the proportionate amount at the drivers’ rate of pay, and if in any week he shall be doing drivers’ work

for more than 50 per cent, of his time he shall be paid the drivers’ rate for the whole oi that week. “ Country Work ” “Country work” shall mean work performed at a distance which necessitates the worker sleeping away from his usual place of abode. Any worker sent to country work shall be conveyed by his employer to arid from such work free of charge, or his travelling expenses going to and returning from such work shall be paid by his employer, but once only during the continuance of the work, if such work if contirtuous and the worker is not in the meantime recalled by his employer. Time so occupied in travelling shall count as time worked and shall be paid for at ordinary rates. Such workers employed upon country work shall be paid an additional sum of 5s 2d per working day, but the employer may in lieu of that provide them at his own expense with suitable board and lodgings, or, where the employer provides satisfactory accommodation, 2s lOd shall be paid for food allowance for every working day the workers are in camp. An employer may agree with any worker that in respect of any specified country work the hours of work shall be other than those prescribed, provided. however, that all time worked outside or in excess of such prescribed hours shall be considered overtime and shall be paid for at the rate of Id an hour in addition to the ordinary rates. Power Boards Electric power boards shall be at liberty to make special arrangements with their drivers as to the hours of work when required to work in connection with breakdowns or special work, provided that the hours shall not exceed 42J per week Further, this award shall not apply to those employees of power boards who are substantially employed as electricians or linesriien and paid as such, but only to those employees who are engaged as drivers and are substantially employed in that capacity.