LABOUR MATTERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 26

LABOUR MATTERS

WOOL-CLASSERS’ DEMANDS. The following are the principal demands made by the wool-classers in regard to rates of pay and conditions governing their employment : • Rates of Pay.—The minimum rates of pay for wool-classers shall be: —- No. of shearers Payment per 1000. employed. Sheep. Lambs. s. d. s. d. 10 and under 35 0 30 0 Over 10 and under 15 .. .. 82 6 27 6 15 and over 30 0 25 0 Where payment is made by the week the minimum rates shall be as follow: Total number of sheep Payment and lambs shorn. per week. £ s. d. Under 8000 .. .. .. .. .. .. 610 0 8000 to 10,000 7 0 0 10,000 to 12,000 7 5 0 When engaged at the weekly rate, payment to start from the time the classer is instructed to bo and arrives at the station. Combined Duties.—No classer shall take the management of the board in addition to classing in any shed where more than 16 shearers are employed at any one time, and no classer shall act as wool-roller in addition to classing where more than seven shearers are employed at any one time. Where a classer undertakes combined duties he shall he paid the following weekly minimum rates in addition to his classing rates (weekly or per 1000, as the case may be): No. of shearers Weekly rates for employed. combined duties. £ s. d. 8 and under 2 15 0 S) to 12 8 0 0 13 to 16 3 5 0 Where employed! in combined duties, payment in respect of the other than classing shall be made as from the commencement of such other duties. Where a classer acts as wool-roller in addition to classing, he shall be paid the classer’s rates as fixed by this award, in addition to the wool-roller’s rates as fixed by the shearing award; but the extra rate for combined duties in this award shall not apply to such classer. Travelling Expenses.—A wool-classer travelling to -any shed for the purpose of classing wool for any employer in New Zealand shall be allowed by suck employer an amount sufficient to cover his rail, steamer, or co-ach fare from his place of engagement or from the place where the wool-clauser may reside permanently, whichever is the shorter distance, to the place of employment, unless and except the wool-cla-sser may be proceeding direct from an engagement at one shed to another sheet as wool-classer, in which case the travelling fare from shed to shed shall be -allowed by the employer at the second shed : Provided that the above provision shall not prevent any mutual arrangement as to sharing expenses tang agreed to by employers. When the classer is about to return from any ehed to his place of engagement or to where he may reside permanently as aforesaid, ho shall state this in writing to the employer or his representative immediately before leaving such shed, and shall then be allowed his fare to such place of engagement or permanent residence, provided that if lie do not so return he shall immediately refund such fare to the employer. A misstatement by the wool-cla-sser or failure immediately to refund money shall constitute a breach of this award. When travelling by railway or steamer, first-class fares shall be allowed. Cl-assers travelling to or from any shed under agreement shall, excepting when travelling by steamer, be allowed, in addition to fares, 12s 6d per day to cover wages, meals, accommodation, etc., while travelling to and from such shed. In oases where the classer is discharged for incomp-etency or misconduct no return fare or allowances shall be paid or allowed. Allowances for Delays.—ln the event of any employer failing to start shearing on the clay fixed by the contract made by tho classer he shall, provided the classer is on the station and ready to start oil the day fixed, pay him for the time ho is kept idle (unless such failure to start is caused by wet weather or other unforeseen cause —unforeseen cause to mean fire, flood, earthquake, or any other act of God} the following rales;

The allowance set forth in this clutfse shall bo in full satisfaction of all claims by tho employee arising out oi. such failure to start on the part of the employer. Stoppage of Shearing.—ln case of cessation of work through strikes or other unforeseen circumstances, the agreement between the classer and his employer may be terminated at any time by mutual consent, or where tho cessation has lasted for mare than one full working week by either party forthwith. Accommodation.—The employed shall supply the classer with suitable board and lodging free of charge, and the employer shall have the option of providing board and lodging at the homestead or elsewhere, and shall not be bound to include the classer in the shearers’ and shed hands’ mess; the sleeping and dining apartments to be separate and detached from the sleeping and dining apartment;-, of the shearers and shed hands. He shall also- provide all reasonable appointments, including lighting, bed, blankets, bedding, towels, etc., and chairs, crockery, enEmelwa.ro or cart hen ware, etc., for table and washing utensils. FARM WORKERS’ DEMANDS. The following are the proposed demands by farm and elation hands: —- Wages.—The following shall be the minimum rate of wages payable to all station or farm hands: —Married couples on. stations, £2OO a year and found; station cooks, £4 10s per week and found: female cooks, £2 10s per week and found. Where female cooks are cooking for more than seven men they shall be paid the same wages as male cooks. Shepherds shall bo paid £4 per week and found. Where the employee finds horse, saddle, and dogs ho shall receive 10a per week in addition, and shall be allowed free run for his horse 3 and be provided with suitable food and kennels for his doge. Shepherds Bhall be paid musterers’ wages when called on to do mustering. - All general hands shall receive £3 10s per week and found. Casual Workers. —Lamb markers, fencers, ditchers, pick and shovel workers, grubbers, scrub cutters, and all casual labour, 2s per hour and found. Harvest Hands. —All harvest hands shall receive not less than 2s per hour and found, and shall be paid from their quarters to their work. Every employee shall be allowed the fare actually paid from the place of engagement. to the farm or station, and shall be allowed his returned fare at the completion of liis duties. Farm Hands. —Wagoners and drivers of tractors shall be paid not less than £4 per week and found. Ploughmen, £3 per week and found. Drivers of reapers and binders, £1 per day and found. A stable allowance of 6s per week shall be allowed for two horses, and 10s per week for more than two where the employee feeds and grooms his own horses. Ch aif cutters. —Men employed as chaffcutters, the engine-driver and steerer, shall be pa.id tho same wages as those provided in the claims drawn up for thrashing mill workers. Gardeners. —Gardeners shall be brought under the conditions of the gardeners’ award. Potato Diggers.—Potato -diggers, onion pullers and snippers, shall be paid 2s per hour and found. Accommodation. —Every employee shall be provided with accommodation free of charge in conformity with the Agricultural Workers’ Accommodation Act except in cases where the worker camps away from the homestead on intermittent work. In such cases reasonable suitable accommodation such as tents may be provided. Food. —Where nations are to be provided by the employer, sufficient food of good quality shall be supplied to the workers, and shall include jam, pickles, sauces, green vegetables twice weekly, and not less than 21b of butter per week for each worker. Youths.—Not more than one youth, or, in tbs alternative, one cadet, shall be employed to every three adult workers receiving the award wages.

Jvo of shearers Delay rate cmploj red per dav. Under 10 , Od 10 to 20 6cl 20 to 25 Od Over 25 6cl