BUILDING TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 22962, 7 August 1936, Page 8

BUILDING TRADE

NO AGREEMENT ON HOURS AND WAGES. (United Press Association.) Wellington, August 6. The hearing of a dispute between the New Zealand Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners and Joiners’ and Machinists’ Industrial Association of Workers and the New Zealand Federated Builders’ and Contractors’ Industrial Association of Employers and other employers was begun in the Conciliation Council to-day. When the council adjourned in the afternoon there was still no agreement on hours and wages. A number of lesser points, however, had been settled. Overtime was to be paid at one and a-half times the daily rate for the first four hours and thereafter at double rates. Double rates were also to be paid for work on Saturday afternoon, Sunday, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Boxing Day and Christmas Day, Easter Saturday and Monday and Labour Day. No worker was to do more than five consecutive hours’ work without a meal interval.

The employers agreed to restrict overtime and employ extra men if there were available any union members out of work, and the union undertook on request to supply any available Labour. The hearing will be continued to-morrow morning. Union’s Claims. The claims of the union were for a Dominion award for an eight-hour day with a five-day week. The minimum wage claimed for employees covered by the award when working a 40-hour week was £6, casual workers to be paid not less than 3/3 an hour. A casual worker is one employed for less than two weeks. Wages were to be paid not later than Thursday in each week and overtime was to be prohibited except in cases of extreme necessity or accident. A week’s holiday on full pay for each completed twelve months was sought. The sum of 3/6 a week in addition to weekly wages for a travelling allowance for all workers was claimed. It was also proposed that piecework should be prohibited. The application provided for suburban and country work and for a preference clause. The employers objected to the union’s claims and asked for the 1935 award.