CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 14

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

An agreement was arrived at before the Conciliation 'Council on the 12th inst. in the case of the Dunedin' retail chemists' assistants. The minimum wages for qualified assistants is to be £4- per week; unqualified assistants, £3 5s per week; period of apprenticeship, four years, wages commencing at 10s per week, rising to £1 5s for the fourth year; improvers, £2 per week. Females may be employed as assistants, wages commencing at 10s per week, rising to £2 per week. No agreement was arrived at .in the hotel workers' dispute. The employers were firm in their attitude that, owing to tho precarious condition of the trade, no further concession could be made; while the employees insisted on a half-holiday for barmen and increases of wages in the oases of third cooks and other kitchen' hands. The Dunodin Canister Workers' Union gained an ! increase of wages before the Conciliation Council from Is OAd per hour to Is 3d per hour. The Dunedin City Corporation Tramways Officials' Union came before the Conciliation Council for increased pay and improved conditions. A novel feature is the fact of an accountant, clerks, and depot engineers 'being parties to the dispute, the town clerk mentioning that the City Council would never agree 'to their being made parties to an award except by the direction of the Arbitration Court. In addition to the fortnight's holiday, the employees asked that members working on public holidays (excepting- Christmas Day and Good .Friday, for which an additional day's pay was demanded) should have an equal number of days added to the fortnight's holiday. The questions of holidays and salaries were referred to the Arbitration Court.