SAWMILL WORKERS

Southland Times, Issue 22008, 6 May 1933, Page 3

SAWMILL WORKERS

SOUTHLAND UNION.

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE.

At an executive meeting of the Sawmill Workers’ Union the president, Mr Charles Fagrell, presided over a fair attendance of members.

Communications were received from several members asking the union to negotiate claims for compensation on their behalf on account of accidents they had met with while engaged in the industry; also asking for the union’s opinion on the average wage, as some of the employers had been paying compensation on the actual wage. The secretary stated that there was a big difference between the average and the actual wage. He took it that the average wage meant that if a worker was receiving £4 a week for one six months of the year, and £2 for the other six months, then his average wage would be £3 a week. The Act stated “that in calculating such wage no account shall be taken into consideration for any period during which the worker has been absent from work.” This meant that compensation should be paid on full time, and as the sawmills worked full time when there were orders to fulfill, the normal week’s work was six days, and he based the compensation of two-thirds payment on a full weekly wage and was claiming accordingly. Mr O’Byrne’s opinion was endorsed by the meeting, and he was instructed to negotiate accordingly. Letters were received from a large number of delegates stating that the members at their respective mills had agreed to pay their contribution monthly to the delegate. The delegates’ actions were endorsed. A communication was received from Mr M. Hughes, delegate at Lindsay and Dixon’s Mill, Lillbum, forwarding the sum of £B, being quarterly subscriptions, from the members at his mill. Mr Hughes was thanked for bis fine efforts on behalf of the union. A communication was received from Mr Lightfoot, inspector of factories, Dunedin, stating that he was making full inquiries into the complaint received by the union against sawmillers in the Catlins and Balclutha districts, as it was alleged that they were not paying the award rates. The president stated that the award would have to be enforced as it was not fair competition to the genuine miller who was paying the award rates, and if the award was not enforced on the defaulters, then they could undersell the other sawmillers in the open market, and more particularly now when competition was so keen for orders. On the motion of the president, the secretary was instructed to see that the award was strictly carried out in fairness to all. A number of communications were received from delegates, members and employers forwarding subscriptions, which had been attended to by the secretary.

Several communications had been received from competent and financial members of the union stating that they were out of employment while unfinancial members were working at a large number of the mills. The secretary stated that the employers _ had agreed at the Council of Conciliation to give preference of employment to competent and financial members _of the union. A motion was carried instructing the secretary to see that this agreement was strictly carried out. The secretary, Mr O’Byrne, reported that during the month he had visited sawmills in the districts of Haldane, Tautuku, Papatowai, Tahokopa, Houipapa and Tawanui and also a number of the pinus insignus mills in the Clutha district. Mr O’Byrne stated that the mills in the Catlins district were working very poor time and a great number of them were closed down; but the plantation mills in the Clutha district were working fairly good time, and under more favourable conditions they were competing keenly with the native bush sawmillers. The secretary stated that six new members had been enrolled since the last meeting and the sum of £23 had been received in members’ subscriptions.