SADDLERS AWARD MADE

Southland Times, Issue 23742, 14 February 1939, Page 8

SADDLERS AWARD MADE

ARBITRATION COURT SITTING FREEZING DISPUTE IS SETTLED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 13. Practically complete settlement having been reached in conciliation proceedings the Court of Arbitration today issued the Dominion Saddlers’, Hamess and Bag Makers’ Award. The only point in dispute was the proportion of female workers on which a satisfactory agreement also was effected. The holidays clause . was _ slightly amended, the workers to receive Anniversary Day where observed and another day where not observed. An application is to. be made for a new Dominion Freezing Workers’ award in which complete settlement was reached in concilation proceedings in Wellington recently to be issued by the Court of Arbitration on February 21, after submissions have been made concerning the term of the award. The union is asking for the expiry date to be fixed at December 31, 1939, and the employers at June 30, 1940. The award concerns the second largest industry engaged in factory production in the Dominion, the 1937-38 statistics for which were: Value of output, £21,227,641; salaries and wages, . £2,188,102; workers, 7835. The conciliation proceedings occupied four days, most of the time being taken up with private conferences in an effort to reach a settlement. The agreement reached in conciliation proceeding's was on the basis of the old award, the hours of work and wages remaining the same with the exception that adjustments have been made in certain conditions of work. These pro-

vide for an increase in the slaughtering rates of pay for ram lambs and for workers opening blown tins. There is also a special provision for female workers starting at the ages of 18, 19 and 24. Following is the special clause covering chain slaughtering and is subject to discussions at present taking place in Auckland to clear up the Westfield position about a “ring.” x (a) Wherever used in this section or any other part of this award the term “chain” shall mean and include every system by which the killing and dressing of sheep and lambs is carried out in a series of successive operations executed by number of slaughtermen, each of whom is engaged on one of the operations or series, whatever may be the form or system or whatever variation may be introduced into

it. (b) Workers shall be interchangeable on the chain where required by the employer. (c) Where agreed upon by the district union and employers at any works not more than 35 men shall be employed bn any mutton and lamb chain and not more than 23 on any pig chain. (d) Workers’ delegates shall be entitled to make representations to the foreman with reference to the speed of the chain: