A RISE IN WAGES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 89, 10 December 1912, Page 7

A RISE IN WAGES.

COUNCIL WORKMEN MAKE A REQUEST. At the monthly meeting of the Council last night, the Borough workmen petitioned the Council for a rise in wages. The men stated that if the course recently adopted by the Council were continued they would not earn £2 a week, and possibly not even £l a week in the winter months. The trouble was to “discern” a wet day. It might be raining one day at 7.31, and they were sent home; yet next day under the same conditions they had to work owing to the sewers being blocked or some other matter of importance having to be attended to. They had to be on duty every morning for perhaps half-time pay. Eltham, and, in fact, all towns, had a permanent staff, and they considered that was the only fair way. Tney thought they fully deserved the increase of Is per day recently given, as the necessaries of hfe had gone up considerably.

As a deputation, the men were questioned by Councillors as to their grievances, but were met with the answer that their only grievance was the arrangements for working, or not working, on wet days. Councillor Healy asked if the .Borough workmen expected to be paid irrespective of whetner they worked 01 notP If they did, there was no other employer in Stratford in a similar position, who paid his men in this manner. . . In reply to a question by Councillor Dingle, the Overseer said the men had been asked to return in cases where the weather had cleared. Councillor King, as an employer, said other trades had suffered. His men did not expect to he paid for wet weather, and some of them had been with him for fourteen years. Councillor Boon remarked that his men wore paid by the hour; if they did not work, they were not paid. Councillor King stated further that for a country like this £2 a week, at 8s per day, holidays thrown in, was a good average. , ir rhe Mayor asked the deputation whether they would prefer to lie paid 8s a clay, web or fine, working or not, or 9s a*day for every day worked?

The deputation asked time to consider suefi a proposal, as they had not come prepared to answer it. Councillor King sympathised with the men, but thought justice should also lie done to the ratepayers. He referred to the good terms which had always existed between the Council and its employees. Councillor Healy concurred. Dissatisfaction meant indifferent work, and changing of men on the jobs. Councillor doon considered,that the report of 12s a day outside was disturbing the contentment of workers. Councillor Morison thought the men were asking just a little more than the Councillors, as representatives of the ratepayers, were prepared to give. His suggestion was that the men should be given 9s a day, and bo allowed to work overtime on fine days if they wished.

Councillor Ward thought that it had boon a bad step not keeping the men on working at cleaning gutters in wet weather. The proper thing was to keep a few men on in wet days clean ing gutters. Councillor Morison: We do that now. Councillor Ward: We do not! The Mayor asked for a motion, but the informal discussion continued. Councillor Dingle claimed that he had employed as many men, and more, than any other of the councillors present. liis policy had been to give the best of wages, and he never paid less than Is 3d per hour for navvies. Councillor King; The men are not working as navvies. Councillor Dingle continued that men all over New Zealand were getting Is 3d per hour; it Ay as the current wage. He mentioned, in this connection, that 150 men employed by the Egmont Box Company averaged Ills to 15s per day, and it paid tin company to give them those wages, ft our workmen were not wortn Is 3d pe; hour, got men who were Avorth it. '1 hey were Avorth Is 3d.

Councillor King: Wet and dry? Councillor Dingle did not answm the question immediately, but afterwards stated that he favoured paying only for time worked, irrespective o! the weather. Councillor King moved that the matter be left in the hands of the Engineer to determine whether the men should work in wet weather or not. Councillor Healy seconded. Councillor Thompson moved as an amendment that a return of the wages paid for the past twelve months be prepared, and in the meantime tinmatter be deferred until the next special meeting of the Council. The amendment was carried.