OTAGO TIMBER YARDS AND SAWMILLS INDUSTRIAL UNION OF WORKERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3033, 1 May 1912, Page 9

OTAGO TIMBER YARDS AND SAWMILLS INDUSTRIAL UNION OF WORKERS.

APPLICATION FOR A NEW AWARD. An industrial dispute having arisen between the Otago Timber Yards and Sawmills’ Industrial Union of Workers and Hogg and Co. (Ltd.), and others, and the parties thereto having failed to satisfactorily adjust such dispute, the workers have cited the employers to appear before the Council of Conciliation. The dispute will - be heard in Dunedin on Tuesday, May 7. The union was first given an award in 1902, and is a-t present working under this award. The statement of claims now put forward by the workers is as follows: — Hours of Work.—The hours of work shall be 44 per week, made up as follows: eight hours on five days ana four hours on Saturdays. (The previous award stipulated that the hours of work shall be Overtime.—Overtime shall be paid for at the rate of time and a-quarter for the first two hours, and time and a-half afterwards, for all time worked on any day beyond the time mentioned in paragraph 1 hereof ; and time and a-half for all time worked upon any of the following days, which shall be considered to be holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Icing’s Birthday, Labour Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and January 2. Double time shall be paid for all work done on Sundays. (The 1902 award provided for time and a-quarter for the first four hours. The concluding sentence in the previous award after the word “ Sundays ” has been deleted. It read: Provided always that work required to be done to repair the breakdown of the mill or machinery, where such breakdown causes the stoppage of the mill, shall be paid for at ordinary rates). Minimum Rates of Wages.—First sawyer (the man who sharpens, sets, arj keeps in repair his saw, but hammering the saw shall not be deemed to be included), Is fid per hour (previously 9s per day); other sawyers, Is 4£d an hour (previously 8s per day); tailers-out, Is 3d per hour (previously 7s per day); first-class machinist (a “ first-class machinist ’’ is a man who is competent to shape his cutters, set his machine, and generally work the machine under his control), Is fid per hour (previously 10s per day) j secondclass machinist (a “ second-class machinist ” is a man who sets up, sharpens the knives, and keeps his machine in good running order), Is 4£ per hour (previously 9s per day). Scale of Wages for Youths under and up to the age of 21 Years.—Under and up to the age of 15 years, 12s fid per week (previously 10s per week); 2s fid rise every six months up to the age of 18 years ; from then a rise of 5s every six months up to the age of 21 years. No youth under the age of 19 years shall be employed feeding machines, and no youth under the age of 21 years shall be allowed to tail out at the leading benches. The proportion of youths to men employed by any employer shall be one youth to every three men* (These last three clauses have been considerably remodelled.) The following shall be the minimum rates of wages to be paid to men employed in the yard :—Head yardman, 12s fid per day (previously 10s per day) (a “ head yardman ” is an employee who is in charge of the loading of trucks, waggons, carts, etc., and who measures snd superintends the delivery of timber, and who is in charge of the yard, and to whose orders the other men in the yard are bound to conform); order men, Is 41d per hour (an “ order man ” is a man who is engaged in getting out orders and returning the tallies of such orders to the office); yard, mill, and factory labourers, Is 3d per hour; engine drivers, Is 4jrd per hour; other men (wood-turners, spolceturners, spoke-finishers, sash and door hands). Is 4Jrd per hour. Youths Employed as Wood-turners. — All lade and youths employed at woodturinig shall be considered as apprentices to that trade. Every such lad or youth shall serve as an apprentice for five years before receiving a certificate of competency, and an employer shall be bound to give such a certificate in a proper case. Time already served before the coming into operation of this award shall count. Every lad or youth shall bo allowed three months’ probation prior to commencing to serve, such probation to be reckoned as a part of the period of five years if the lad or youth shall be permanently engaged as an apprentice. One apprentice only shall be allowed for every two, or fraction of two, journeymen woodturners, the calculation to be based on the full-time employment of the journeymen employed during the previous three months. (No alteration.) The wages to be paid to lads or youths employed as apprentices to wood-turning shall be as follows :—For the first six months, including the period of probation, 10s per week (previously paid 7s fid); for the second six montlis, 12s fid per week (previously paid 10s); for the second year—first six months, 12s fid per week; second six months, 17s par week (previously paid 15s); for the third year—first six months, 17s per week (previously paid, 17s fid); second six months, £1 2s fid per week (previously paid £1); for the fourth year —first six months, £1 5s per week (previously paid £1 2s fid); second six months, £1 7s fid per week (previously paid £1 ss) ,• for the fifth year—first six months, £1 10s per week (previously paid £1 7s 6d); second six months, £1 12s per week (previously paid £1 10s). General Clauses. —For adult workers a clear day’s notice of dismieal or quitting service is to be given by either aide if the employee has not been in the regular service of the employer for a period of three months (previously six months). If he has been regularly employed for a period of three months (previously six months) then a week's notice to he given on cither side. The wages hereinbefore prescribed for adult workers are to be calculated at per d»y of eight hours. The wages herein-

before prescribed for youths up to the age of 21 years shall be deemed to be weekly wages, and no deduction shall be made for time lost thorugh the holidays hereinbefore mentioned or for any other cause than the personal default of the worker. A week’s notice of the termination of the engagement shall be given by either side. The following clause in the old award is deleted : —“ Except in regard to woodtur ruing no restriction on the number of youths who may be employed is imposed on employers.” No Discrimination Against Unionists.— No employer, in the engagement or dismissal of his hands, shall dicriminate against members of the union, or shall in the conduct of his business do anything directly or indirectly for the purpose of injuring the union. Preference Clause.—(a) If any employer shall hereafter engage any worker who sliall not be a member of the union and who within one week after bis engagement shall not become and remain a member of the union, the employer shall dismiss such worker from his service if requested to do so by the union, provided there is then a member of the union equally qualified to perform the particular work required to be done, and ready and willing to undertake the same, (b) Whenever an employer shall employ any worker who is not a member of the union, he shall, within 24 hours thereafter, give notice in writing to the secretary of the union. The provisions of the above clause shall operate only and so long as the rules of the union shall - permit any competent workman at such occupation to become a member of the union upon the payment of an entrance fee not exceeding five shillings (ss), and of subsequent cantributf.ons not exceeding sixpence (fid) per week upon a written application of the person so desiring to join the union without ballot or other election. Carpenters, joiners, and cabinet-makeis shall not operate any saws or machine governed by this award. (This is quite a new stipulation.) The term of the award is two years. The assessors who will act for the workers are Messrs C. W. Larimer,. T. O’Byrne, and R. Breen. The asessare for the employers have yet to be appointed.