MOTOR TESTING STATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23941, 17 October 1939, Page 5

MOTOR TESTING STATION

EMPLOYEES' DISPUTE APPLICATION FOR AWARD REFUSED dspute between the New Zealand (excep the northern ndustnal district) Amalgamated Engineering-and Related Trade, Industrial Union of Workers and the Dunedin City Corporation. The union applied for an award to cover inspectors employed by the aty Corporation at its motor testine station in Anderson's Bay road. At the hearing, the town clerk, in evidence, stated that the workers were engaged and held office on an annual salary ff inspectors, and .that their duties comnrised the inspection and testing of an Serea motor vehicles for the purpose of the issue of warrants of fitness ine testing, he said, involved no manual wort nnd the men were not reaulred or permitted to mate adlustments. He added that the men could conveniently belong to the Dunedln Municipal Clerical Inspectorial (othei than Tramway Inspectors) and other Employees Industrial Union of Workers „n-«,„, The membership rule oi the appltcanemployed, or intending to be employed in the Taranakl. Wellington Nelson Marlborough. Westland Canterbury and Otago and Southland Industrial Districts, as a manual worker Uncludmg draughtsmen) in ths mechanical engineering sheet metal, and motor industries, engaged in manufacturing, assembling or repairing work, or as an electrical worker a radiotrician, linesman or linesman s assistant, a wire worker, a range or stove worker a cycle worker, a petrol pump or garage attendant, or any other manual worker engaged in the metal or electrical industries (except a worker coming within the scope of any other industrial union) shall become a member of the union The magistrate in his- judgment said ■ It is to be noted that the only persons eligible for membership are those who employed or intending to be employed asmanual workers in the several occupations referred to in the membership rule. I am not satisfied from the evidence adduced that the inspectors employed by the corporation it its testing station are manual workers as contemplated by the applicant union's rules, and for that reason the application for an award must be refused In my ooinion the workers are actuallv local body officers, and as the membershir rule of the Dunodin Municipal, Clerical Inspectorial (other than Tramway Inspectors) and other Employees' Industrial Union of Workers provides for thy admission to membership of any person emploved bv the municipality of DuneJin as a 'clerk or inspector (other than a tramwav inspector), I think that is the union to which they should properly belong. The application is accordingly refused."