UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 37

UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY.

CONCESSIONS TO ENGINEERS. WELLINGTON, March 16. At a recent conference between tha managing director of the Union Company (Sir James Mills) and delegates from the Institute of Marine Engineers several important proposals were- discussed, and eventually an agreement was drawn up, to be submitted to the institute for ratification. This has been duly accomplished. The principal features of the concessions are as follow :—: — In future the chief engineers of the company's fleet will receive £21 *to £30 per month, according to the class c| vessel and trade ; second engineers wilj get from £16 to £20; third, £14 to £16 j fourth, £12 to £13. The victualling allowances, when engineers are awaiting orders aehore, ar€ placed on a more liberal scale. Sick pay was agreed to for all engi* rteere incapacitated by illness. The chief and second engineers engaged specially in strenuous trades have been promised double their present holidays. There has been a satisfactory schedule of pay arranged for all engineers working ashore for the cempany when ships aro laid up. Free transit has been granted to families and effects of engineers who aredesirous of moving their homes when transferred from one trade to another^ A scheme was arranged for relieving 1 chief engineer* from turning gut at all stopping-places in the Wellington-Picton-Nelson service, which involved exceedingly unsettled hours of rest for the chief engineer. The promotion of juniors has been placed upon a systematic basis. The engineers obtained concessions ! aggregating, it ie estimated, about £50CG a year.