FARM EMPLOYEES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 114, 19 June 1914, Page 5

FARM EMPLOYEES.

MARLBOROUGH UNION.

COMPREHENSIVE DEMANDS.

The Marlborough Farm and Station Employees' Union, which includes all classes of farm workers other than shearers and shed hands, is applying to the Arbitration Court for an award, the party cited on the other side being the Marlborough Sheep Owners' Union. The case will be heard shortly in Blenheim. WAGES AND HOURS. The wages demanded are as follow: —: WAGES. Head ploughmen, 45/- per week; other ploughmen, 40/- per week and found. Where any ploughman is working more than four horses, he shall receive 2/6 per week for each horse over four. . Ploughmen's time taken going to and from work to be counted one way. Milker, or men who work horses between milking times, 40/- per week and found; fencers, 50/- per week and found; rouseabouts, 37/6 per week and found; grooms, 37/6 per week and found; rabbit poisoners, 37/6 and found per week of 48 hours; waggoners, 60/per, week and found; blacksmiths, 60/per week and found; station carpenters, local rates, l/ 4£ per hour; station gardeners, £3 and £2 and found. HOURS. The hours shall be:— Ploughmen, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the following time off for meals: Breakfast, 7 a.m. to 7.30 a.m.; dinner, one clear hour; tea, between the hours of 5.30 and 6 p.m. Ploughmen shall not be compelled to do any work after 5 p.m. or before 7.30 a.m.,. except the necessary attention to the horses working. Milkers shall not work more than 9 hours per day, to be arranged to suit employers, except on Sundays, when no work shall be done except that necessary for carrying on the industry; other workers (rouseabouts,,fencers, etc.), 48 hours per week. HOLIDAYS, MARRIED COUPLES, ETC. Full time shall be paid on eight specified holidays, and fourteen days in each twelve months, to be arranged between employer and employee. Married couples shall be supplied with house and fuel and double rations free, and if both are engaged they shall get the minimum wage. COOKS. Cooks whose principal time is taken up in cooking for and attending on employees on station or farm, shall receive not less than £3 per week and found for any number of men up to ten; 2/- additional per man for every man over ten; tmd shall have one week's holiday every six months, or by arrangement, but in no case shall the number of holidays be less than fourteen in each year. Special arrangements are made for harvest wages and hours. DAY LABOURERS. Day labourers shall work from 7.30 till 5 p.m., with one clear hour for dinner, on five days of the week, and from 7.30 until 1 p.m. on Saturdays. RATES OF WAGES. The following shall be the minimum rate Sf wages:—l/ 3 per hour and found, except when working in wet places, when the following conditions shall prevail: Any worker working in a wet piace shall be supplied with gum boots by his employer, or bo paid one shilling per day extra. A wet place shall mean where the worker has to stand in not less than one inch of water or where water is dripping on him. Provisions are made for overtime, holidays, tools, payment' of wages, rations, preference to unionists, accommodation, access to workers, and free grazing. Where any employee has to cook his own food in camps or other places, an allowance of 5/- per week extra must be added to his wages. A clause dealing with the employment of boys is also included.