FLOUR MILLING INDUSTRY

Southland Times, Issue 23183, 26 April 1937, Page 16

FLOUR MILLING INDUSTRY

HEARING OF DOMINION DISPUTE (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, April 23. An increase of Id an hour in the rates of pay for adult workers in the flour milling industry throughout the Dominion will depend on whether a satisfactory arrangement can be made with the Department of Industries and Commerce to make an increase in the price of flour to cover the cost of the increase. An offer was made on this condition at the hearing of the Dominion dispute in the industry in the Conciliation Council. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) presided. The hearing was adjourned till May 27 but a working agreement was reached on several points, including hours of work and wages for youths and females. A 40-hour week, worked on five days, was agreed upon, with the special provision that up to four hours of this could be worked on Saturday if the machines were stopped for a corresponding period during the week through a failure of the power or a mechanical breakdown. Overtone rates were fixed at time and a-half for the first three hours and double rates thereafter, with the provision that four hours overtime on Saturday could be worked at the lower rate. Wages for youths were fixed to commence at 21/- a week, rising to £3 a week at the end of five years, subject to the provision for the basic wage. Wages for females were agreed on to commence at 15/- a week, rising to £2 5/- a week at the end of three years.