ARBITRATION COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25456, 10 February 1944, Page 6

ARBITRATION COURT

SITTING IN DUNEDIN The Arbitration Court—Mr Justice Tyndall, Mr A. L. Monteith and Mr W. Cecil Prime—continued its sittings in Dunedin yesterday, when two cases were heard. The 'court will sit again to-day before leaving for the north. Wages of Drivers A claim by the Inspector of Awards against the New Zealand Express Company, alleging a breach of the New Zealand Motor and Horse Drivers’ Award, which had been heard by Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., was referred by him to the court for decision. The inspector had claimed a penalty of £lO in respect of each of three drivers who', it was alleged, had not been paid thefull amount of wages specified in the award. Mr C. H. Hoskin, inspector of awards, said that the industry was based on a 44-hour working week. Labour was hired by the week, and the award implied that, irrespective of the hours worked, payment should be on the basis of 44 hours a week. Mr A. C. Stephens, for the company, said that 14 drivers were engaged by the company on the 44-hour basis, and certain other drivers were engaged on a 40-hour basis. It was in connection with three of the latter that the dispute had arisen. Mr Stephens contended that the award- provided elasticity in so far as hours of work were concerned, and that employers could therefore contract for men to work for 40, 41, 42, 43 or 44 hours a week if they so desired. After further discussion as to the wording of the award in connection with tne hours of work clauses, the court reserved its decision. Employment in Pie Factory A dispute concerning the interpretation of the Northern, Taranaki, Wellington, Westland, Canterbury and Otago and Southland Bakers’ and Pastrycooks’ and their Labourers’ Award, 1938, was also tyeard by the court. The question at issue was the classification of a woman employed as ■an assistant at Gourley’s Pie Factory. Mr W. C. McDonnell, who appeared for the union, said that the particular work on which the woman was engaged was considered throughout the Dominion to be that of a pastrycook. She w?s therefore entitled to be classified accordingly. Mr F. C. Scrivener, who appeared for the employer, stated that the work involved could be learned in two hours, and it could not be considered

skilled. The award provided for women to be engaged on unskilled work and to be paid accordingly. The court must decide whether this particular operation was skilled or unskilled. The court reserved its decision.