CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 3244, 17 May 1916, Page 63

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

TIMBER YARDS AND SAW MILLS DISPUTE-.

The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr J. R. Triggs) sat on the 12th inst. to hear the dispute between the Otago Timber Yards and Saw Mills Industrial Union of Workers and the employers. The assessors for the employers were Messrs George Simpson, Jos. M. Benton, and il. V. Haddock, and for tiic men Messrs Hiram Hunter, Frank F. Gibson, and James liuston. Exception was taken to the inclusion of a number of the parties cited, mostly builders, these either declaring or having it declared on their behalf, that although by the nature of their business men we're employed at machines, they were not in the position of being regularly in the timber working and milling industry. The commissioner, however, finding that the dispute would" have to go to the court, refused to delete any party, leaving the matter to the court as no one would be prejudiced by that course. The men's main demand referred to wages, the principal being as follows (minimum in every case): —Sawyers who can sharpen and set saws, £3 10s per week; others, £3 5s per week; tailers-out, £2 16s; machinists, £3 10s; head yardmen, £3 10s; other yardmen, £3 3s; timber measurers and classcrs, £3 3s, yard, mill, and factory labourers, £2 17s 6d ; casual labourers, lis per day; wood turners, £3 10s per week; sash and door hands, £3 10s. A 44-hours' week was asked for, eight hours on five days and four hours on Saturdays. Mr Clark said that it wag unfortunate that any union should bring forward demands for increased wages while their fellowunionists at the front were fighting for then country for practically nothing. Mr Hunter said that the award had expired in 1914, and the union had not brought the matter forward for two years precisely for the reason stated by Mr Clark. However, the abnormal rise in the cost of living bad now mado action imperative. With regard to increases of wages, the Commissioner read a telegram stating that the Arbitration Court had mad© public its intention of prescribing a war bonus of 10 per cent on wages up to Is 3d per hour and 52s per week, but 'would not alter conditions of work, and recommended employers in all trades to adopt that; course. He pointed out that hrn-ensre hf»d been given in Ashburtc: and ('bristchurch in the sawmilling dispnti s there. The assessors for the men would not accept the w.'i -,<-;. grunted in these cases, and that boinsc ■■>. tho Commissioner could only fall in with the stab ment of Mr Simpson that it wou''l bo but a waste of time to ro on. If the men :<.c~r- not prepared to discuss the m. tter on the basis of the Christchurch and \shburton recommendations, it only remaim...; to r-efi r tho whole dispute to the court, which w»fl done.