INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

Otago Witness, Issue 3419, 26 September 1919, Page 25

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

SHOP ASSISTANTS' CLAIMS. CHRISTCHURCH, September 8.

In the Arbitration Court the retail shop assistants made an application for a new award governing all classes of shop assistants. The union asked for the following scale of wages: —First year—males, 20s; females, 20s. Second year —males, 27a 6d; females, 255. Third year —males, 37s 6d; females, 32s 6d. Fourth year —males, 555; females, 42s 6d. Fifth year —males, 70s; females, 50s. Thereafter —males, 90s; females, 655. The union asked that work should cease at 5.30 p.m. on five days per week and at 5 p.m. for juniors, with a half-holiday from noon on the day of the weekly half-holiday. Th© employers stated their willingness to pay the wages in the Auckland award. Mr Justice Stringer questioned whether it would not be a good thing to limit the award to softgoods assistants. If the union could come to an agreement with the ha idware and footwear sections, v/ell and good, but otherwise it would be better lor it to eliminate them in the meantime, avd embody them in a new award. Judgment %vas reserved. September 9. The Arbitration Court awarded Louis Charles Oequer £125 compensation for injuries received to his right hand in the course of his employment at Messrs Cooper and Duncan's foundry. ' The court declined an application by the engineering trades for a reduction of hours to 44 weekly, but granted an increase in the overtime rates. SHOP ASSISTANTS' AWARD. WELLINGTON, Sept. 19. The Arbitration Court award respecting the Amalgamated, Society of Shop Assistants in th© boot, hardware, stationery, fancy goods, furniture, and soft goods trade has been filed. Assistants 16 years and under entering a trade without previous experience are to ba paid not less than 15s for females and 20s for males during the first year of service; second year, 20s and 27s 6d; third year, 25s and 355; fourth year, 30s and 555; fifth year, 35s and 60s; and thereafter, £2 and £3 Is. An assistant entering a trade without previous experience from the age of 17 to 18 years shall be treated as having entered upon the second year of service and shall bo paid accordingly, and so on for those entering at 18 to 19 years and, over. The wages of storemen and packers, if in charge of two or more men other than casuals, shall be £3 15s per week; other storemen and packers, £3 ss; juniors under 17 years, £1; 17 to 18 years, £1 ss; 18 to 19 years, £1 10s; 19 to 20 years, £2 15s; 20 _ to 21 years, £3; and thereafter the minimum wage. In addition, storemen and packers are to receive a bonus of 5s per week, and junior storemen and packers 10 per cent. A week's holiday on full pay is to be granted to each worker on the completion of each year of service. CHEESE FACTORY MANAGERS. AGREEMENT REACHED (Fhom Oor Own Corhespondent.) INVERCARGILL. Sept. 19. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr W. H. Haggor) to-day heard the dispute between the Southland Otago Cheese Factory Managers' Union and the Wyndham Dairy Factory Company and other employers. The assessors for the employers were Messrs A. H. Mackrell, J. Fisher, G. Lamb, and Fisher. I»nd for the , union Messrs R. Lyall, A. Harper, and T. O'Byme. A complete agreement was arrived at. The chief new points of interest are that a manager must be paid £5 per week if his output is under 40 tons, and £IBO for the year, plus 10s for every extra ton if the output is over 40 tons. It is also provided that a manager .shall be given a free residence and fuel, butter, and cheese without cost. The term of engagement for 1920 is to bo from September 1 to August 31. INVERCARGILL, Sept. 20.

The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr Hagger) presided over a conference between the owners and members of the Southland and Otago Cheese and Butter Factories Assistants' Union to-day. The conference lasted all day, and a complete agreement was arrived at, the assessors woridng ' together amicably. Tha following rates of pay were agreed upon for butter makers:—Factories employing a manager and 15 hands or over: First assistant, £4 10s per week; second assistant, £4 4s; third assistant, £3 16s; fourth assistant, £3 12s 6d; others, £3 6s 6d. Factories employing a manager and 10 to 14 hands: First assistant, £4 10s; second, £4 4s; third assistant, £3 16s; others, £3 6s 6d\ Factories with six to nine assistants: First assistant, £4 10s; second, £4 4s;

others, £3 6s 6d. Factories with three to live assistants: First assistant, £4 10s; others, £3 5s 6d. Factories with one or two assistants, £3 6s 6d. Workers in charge of milk or cream depots to receive £4 10s per week, and all others £4 per week. The usual preference and underrate workers' clauses were included. The scopo of the award is for the industrial district of Southland and Otago, and the award will be in force from September 1. 1919, to August 31, 1920." The following wages were agreed to with regard to youths employed in factories:—Fifteen years to 16 years, £1 per week; 16 to 17 years, £1 ss; 17 to 18, £1 10s; 13 to 19, £1 15s; 19 to 20, £2. The wages for butter makers were agreed on as in the scale telegraphed on August 6, with the exception that youths over 20 will receive £2 10s per week. SAWMILLERS' DISPUTE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INYERCARGILL, Sent. 19. Yesterday the dispute between the Sawmillers' Union and the Sawmillers' Association was heard, but no decision was come to in regard to wages. The present award provides for a minimum of from 9s to lis od per day, accordinsr to the class of work. The employers offered an increase to Us and 15s 6d, but the employees asked for 13s and 18 3 4d.

MILL WORKERS' DEMANDS. VIEWS OF FARMERS' UNION. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) INVEROARGILL, Sept. 20. The Otago and Southland Threshing Mill Workers' Union has drawn up a number

of new demands, covering the conditions of employment for the next season. These were recently considered at a meeting of the Gore sub-executive of the Farmers' Union, and to-day camo before the Invercargill branch of the union. The demands in the main were approved at a recent meeting of the Gore sub-executive of the union, with the following exceptions:—That, whereas the union asks that the working hours shall be from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Farmers' Union decided that the farmer should retain the option of deciding on the finishing time under certain circumstances; that, while the men ask that the wages for every man and boy employed in connection with the mill be not less than 2s per hour, that the rate be Is 9d per hour. The Invercargill branch decided that- the rate of wages bo Is 6d per hour, and that when working grass seed only two men be. employed on the basr hole and two on the sheaf stack. It was decided to oppose a preference* clause and the proposal for the provision of a sleeping whare by the millowner, the upkeep of such to be charged to the farmer. A conference between representatives of the farmers and th© mill workers will be hold at Gore within a few days. Mr Ford was appointed to represent the Invercargill branch.