MOTOR TRADE EMPLOYEES

Southland Times, Issue 25746, 9 August 1945, Page 2

MOTOR TRADE EMPLOYEES

INCREASE IN WAGES Provision for increases in wages is made in the New Zealand motor trade employees’ award, which has been issued by the Court of Arbitration. The only matter settled by the court related to the holiday provisions for garage attendants. In other respects the award, apart from minor adjustments, embodies the terms of settlement arrived at either -in Conciliation Council or by representatives of the parties. The existing minimum wage rates for motor mechanics, inspectors, assemblers, vulcanisers, battery workers, wreckers, and improvers have been increased by 3Jd an hour as from April 1 last, except in the case of wreckers, who receive 2d of' the 3Jd increase as from January 1 last. Buffers, bench workers, <md moulders in retreading and recapping works are to receive, as from January 1 last, an extra ljd per hour over the minimum rate while so employed. The minimum rates for junior assistants have been increased by 2/6 a week from January 1 to March 31, and further increases, ranging from 2/6 to 7/6 a week, as from April 1. The weekly hours of work for garage attendants and Kerrick Kleaner operators have been reduced from 44 to 40. As from April 1 last their wage rates have been increased by 5/- a week in the case of weekly workers and 3|d an hour for hourly workers, except that 2d of the 3d increase for hourly workers is payable as from January 1 last. The provisions relating to casual workers have been deleted.

Garage attenejants are to be paid double time for the work done on the nine award holidays, but as an alternative they may elect, with the consent of the employer, to have added to the annual holiday allowed to them in accordance with the Annual Holidays i Act an additional day for each holiday worked. The wage rates for workers employed by certain firms on adjusting and servicing of power-driven machinery on farms have, been increased to £6/15/or £7/1/3 a week as from April 1, according to the hours worked. The new wage rates are subject to the court’s two bonuses, and the award is to continue in force until April 1 next. WOOL-SCOURING WORKS Under an amending order issued by the Court of Arbitration, the wages of adult male workers employed under the Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland wool-scouring works award have been increased by 3|d an hour. Provision has also been made for higher rates for youths, the increases ranging from 5/- to 7/0 for weekly workers and from 2id to 3d for day workers. The order is deemed to have come into force on April 1 last, and the new rates are subject to the two cost-of-living bonuses. The court in a memorandum to the order states that the amendments are in accordance with an agreement reached between the representatives of the parties, except in one respect. Clause 7 of the award states that the rates of pay for piecework shall be arranged between each employer and the union. The agents for the employers and workers have agreed that workers employed under the terms of this clause shall receive an extra payment at the rate of 12/10 a week of 44 hour's, such payment to be additional to their earnings on a piecework basis. In view of the wording of clause 7, the memorandum adds, and the fact that the court has no knowledge of the varying piecework rates which have been arranged between individual employers and the union in the past, or the periods during which such piecework rates have been in operation, that portion of the agreement of the parties referred to has not been written into the order amending the award., The matter, however, is placed on record for the information of wages commissioners who may be called upon to consider applications under the Economic Stabilization Emergency Regulations.