CHEESE AND BUTTER WORKERS

Southland Times, Issue 17697, 8 July 1914, Page 7

CHEESE AND BUTTER WORKERS

COXFEBEXCE TO BE HELD AT IXVEKCAKGILL. THE TERMS OF THE AWARD. (Per United Press Association.) DFXKDIX, duly 7. The Southland and Otago cheese and butter factories employees (other than managers), have invited the dairy factories to send delegate? to a conterence at Invercargill on July 24. to discuss the demands of the recently - formed dairying assistants’ union. The committee of the South Island Dairy Association will meet at Alien’s Hall, Invercargill, on the, date mentioned, to consider this matter, and if necessary to confer with the employees’ delegates. It is contended for the employers that the Union's demands are such as to present great, if not insurmountable diftinjlties. Particularly is this so with regard to the proposal to limit the working hours, which the Factory Managers’ Union consider to he impossible, and they point out that there is no time limit in the agreement arranged between them and the employers. The limitation of the time worked could hardly be employed in the dairying or any other agricultural industry. It is further pointed out that cows give milk on Sundays. in addition to the ordinary week days, and the milk has to be properly bandied during the seven days of the Week. Then again, it is argued that farmers are not compelled to stick to dairying, as the price of lambs and sheep a-e so high, that if the dairying industry is hampered hy any unreasonable working demands many will give up cows and go in for the much easier work of fattening sheep and lambs. The terras of the proposed agreement between the Union and the employers Is as follows: Proposed agreement between the Southland and (itago Dairy Assistants’ Union and th“ South Island Dairy Association. and other dairy employers; — I 1 i. Classification of these factories shall be as follows: For first-class factories. non ton-- and over: sooond-dass factories. 101 tons to "On tons; and for a third-class factory shall be from one ton to 100 tons. (2) The rate of wages set forth in this award shall he paid irrespective of the age of the worker. The minimum wage to be paid according to the above classification shall be as follows; Firstclass factory, first assistant. £2 3s per week of six days: second assistant. £2 do, Second-class factory, first assistant. £2 2s 6d per week: second assistant. £2 17s 6d per week of six days. Thirdclass factory, first assistant, £2 Us 6d per week of six days. All other experienced assistants. £2 12s per week of six days. To workers employed for the first season in any factory. £2 7s fid per week of six days. The above shall apply to all cheese and butter factory assistants operating in Southland and Otago. f~ The hours of work in all cheese and butter factories shall not exceed 60 hours per week: not more than six days to be worked in any one week. All workers shall bo allowed one day holiday for every week employed in the factory. 14) All time worked in excess of the hours herein proscribed shall be paid for at the rate of time and a-quarter. All milk brought to the factories after 5.20 p.m. shall be paid overtime rates for the time taken in handling the same. (5) The office of the Cheese Factory Assistants’ Union shall be the employment bureau, in which a register of all members of the Union shall be kept, and employers shall engage men from the bureau. (5) For the purpose of this award an “assistant” shall mean all persons employed in or about a butter or cheese factory who are directly employed in the manufacture of butter or cheese, other than a manager. (7) If any employer sha’i engage any worker who shall not be a member of the Union, and who within one week after his 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 same. The provisions of the foregoing clause shall operate only if and so long a.s the rules of the Union shall permit any worker of good character and sober habits to become a member of the Union, upon a payment of an entrance fee not exceeding os, upon a written or verbal application, without ballot or other election, and to continue a member upon payment of subsequent contributions not exceeding 6d per week. fS> One week’s notice of the termination of the services of any workman shall be given by the employer to the workman or by the workman to the employer unless otherwise mutually arranged. and all wages due shall be paid Immediately on production of the certified time worked. (9) Any dispute in connection with env matter not provided for in this award shall be settled by a committee of six. three appointed by the South Island Dairy Association and three by the Union, and in default of any agreement being arrived at then such dispute shall be referred to the local Inspector of Awards, who may either decide the same or refer the matter to the Court. Either party dissatisfied with the decision of the Inspector of Awards may appeal to the Court upon giving notice of such appeal to the other party, within seven days after such decision shall have been communicated to the party desiring to appeal--110) This award shall come into force mo the Ist day of September. 1914, and shall continue in force until the 16 th iay of May, 1916.