CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13983, 13 January 1916, Page 6

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

A sitting of the Conciliation Council look place yesterday., to consider tht demands' of the general labourers for a new award. 'Mr I*. F^.'ly, Conciliation Commissioner, presided, and the rc-pre BC'n Jath'es were: Employers—Messrs C. tiaggitt, H. H. Johnston, and T. JSeale • employees—Messrs J. M. i'eardoi1 t. Weih'ujrton), J. Ingram, and W. H. Bri.dckK'k.

M;js-t of the proposals submitted to the ornpinyors hud boon agreed to, <an<l the chiet n.^ttois in dispute were the hours of work and the ivte of wages. The employees demanded a 47-hour Week iUid la 3d per hour, with 2s per 'ihour wartime. The employers subfmitterJ oounter-proposals for a 47^-hour week, and Is lkl per hour; with tdme and a quarter for the first and S'-'con-i iiours' overtime and time and a half for overtime- f.fter that.

Afft-r consideration a 44-hour week was agreed upon, the wages to be Is 3d per hour, owing to the increased cost of living, titie agreement to remain in force for 12 months, when, if conditions revert to normal, a readjustment w ill be made; overtime to bo as follows :■ —Time and a quarter for tho first two hours; time and a half thereafter till 10 p.m. ; and double time thereafter till 6 a.m. ; if continuous work double time- till 8 a.m. The agreement will be sent on to the Arbitration Court, to become an award, the Court deciding when the now scale of wage* shall come- into operation.