ARBITRATION COURT

Southland Times, Issue 20903, 12 October 1929, Page 12

ARBITRATION COURT

LOCAL BODY EMPLOYEES. AWARD TO BE MADE. The Arbitration Court was occupied yesterday morning dealing with a dispute between the Otago and Southland General Labourers, Builders’ Labourers, Quarrymen and Coal-yard Industrial Union of Workers and the Invercargill Borough Council and other Southland local bodies. When the dispute was mentioned in the Court on Wednesday his Honour Mr Justice Frazer suggested that a conference between the parties might produce good results. A conference accordingly took place and agreement was reached on all but three points. It was to decide these three points that the Court sat yesterday. His Honour Mr Justice Frazer presided and associated with him were Messrs R. J. Schmidt, employers’ representative and A. L. Monteath. employees’ representative. The Workers’ Union was represented by Mr W. C. Denham and the local bodies by Mr G. R. Cooper. >

The points in dispute were the basic wage, where the union asked for 1/11 an hour in place of the 1/10 at present being paid; the payment of 2/1 per hour to certain labourers working with the bitumen mixer; and the payment of 5/- an hour for those engaged in cleaning out the settling tanks; After Messrs Cooper and Denham had addressed the Court the Borough Engineer (Mr F. M. Corkill) and the chairman of the Finance Committee (Mr W. Hinchey) gave evidence on behalf of the local bodies concerned, particularly as affecting the Invercargill Borough Council. The engineer stated that there had been no demand from the borough employees for an increase on the 1/10 per hour at present being paid, which was the rate ruling in Southland. Only two men were involved in the extra pay claimed for work with bituminizing machinery. The council had agreed to another clause concerning bitumen workers. The council was quite willing to give the 2/6 an hour originally claimed for men cleaning out the settling tank, but not the 5/- demanded by Mr Denham. Mr Hinchey dealt briefly with the financial effect of the demands if these were granted.

His Honour before the Court rose congratulated both parties on having arrived at an agreement so nearly complete. It was infinitely more satisfactory when the parties came to an agreement themselves than when an outside body such as the Court made the award. The Court would settle the three points at issue and an award would be made without delay.