CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143768, 17 April 1912, Page 7

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

CARPENTERS AND JOINERS’ DISPUTE. SETTLE MEM' ARRIVED AT. The dispute between the Now Plymouth branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners’ Industrial Union of Workers and the employers of Taranaki was brought to a successful issue to-day. A full agreement was arrived at in all the matters in dispute, with tho exception of the preference clause, which the asssesors wore powerless to deal with, owing to tho fact that the Employers’ Association makes a point of opposing preference clauses under all circumstances in now awards. The only other matter which was referred to the Court of Arbitration was that in relation to the rate oi wages for carpenters and joiners employed in factories. Tho men asked that this branch of the trade should bo put upon tho same footing as ordinary carpenters, and submitted that that ruling had been upheld in Palmerston North, which district covered a similar number to that of Taranaki, Tho following is tho text of the agreement entered into: — HOURS OF WORK. A full week’s work shall consist of 47 hours. The ordinary working hours shall be between 7.30 a.m. and 5 p.m., except on Saturdays, when the hours of work shall be between 7.30 a.in. and 12 noon, the special time for beginning and leaving oil work to be lixecl by the employer to suit his particular business. RATES OF WAGES. (a) Tits minimum rate of tyages for journeymen carpenters and joineis shall be Is 4jd per hour. (b) Where a worker is in charge of four or more carpenters or joiners on outside jobs and is responsible for carrying out the work, i.o.,has charge of plans and gives instructions to the other men, he shall receive not less than iJs per day in addition to the wages above mentioned. All wages shall bo paid weekly or fortnightly either on the job or at the employer’s place, oi business tor town or suburban work, but wherever paid, payment shall commence within lif Leon minutes alter leaving off work. Workers employed on country jobs may make mutual arrangements with their employers in respect to tho time and method oi paying wages. UNDER-RATE WORKERS.

(a) Any worker who considers himself incapable ol earning the minimum wage iixeii by this award may be paid suen lower wage as may from time lo time be lixed on tiio application ol such worker, alter due notice to the union by the local inspector of lactones, or such other poison ns tile court may -trom lime to time appoint for mat puiepose, and such inspector or person in I so fixing such wage shall have regard to the* worker’s capability, his past earnings, and such other cucnmscauoes as tsuch inspector or other person may think fit to consider alter heating such evidence and argument as the union and iietich worker shall offer. (b) Such permit shall' bo for such ge-riod not exceeding six months as such inspector or other person shall determine, and after tho expiration of such ported shall continue in iorco until fourteen days’ notice shall have been gjven to such worker by tbo secretary ol the union requiring him to have fits wage again fixed in manner prescribed by this clause. Provided that in the case of iany person whoso wage is so lixed by reason of old ago or permanent disability, it may bo fixed for such longer period as such inspector or other person shall think fit.

(cj> Notwithstanding the foregoing, it shall be competent lor a worker to agree with the president or tile secretary of the -.workers’ union upon such wage without having the same so lixod. (d) It shall be the duty of the. union to give notice to tho inspector of fac-tories-of every agreement made with a worker pursuant hereto. (e) lit shall bo tho duty of on employer before employing a worker at such louver wage to examine the permit or agneement by which such wage is fixed. OVERTIME. (a) Except where otherwise specified, aU tirao- worked beyond tho time mentioned in clause 1 hereof shall bo considered O'vortime and shall be paid for os follows; —Eor tho first two hours, time and, a quarter; aftro tho first two hours and until 10.p.ra., time and a half; between 10 p.m. and the recognised time, of starting work next morning, if worked continuously, double tim© shall be paid l lf the worker shall bo required bv commence work after 6 a.m. and before tho recognised time of starting the oru’inary day’s work, then rate and a quarter shall be paid for tho time so employed. , (b) All -.time worked on Saturday afternoon shall he paid for at the rate of time and a half, except in tho case of time heimg lost in tho same week through bad 'weather, when, if mutually agreed upon, ordinary rate shall be paid for tho first 'three hours and time and a half afterwards. HOLIDAYS.

The following shall be the recognised holidays:—Men' Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Christmas Day(, and Boxing Day. Work done an Sunday, Good Friday, and Christmas Pay shall he paid for at tho rate of double time. 'Work' done on other holidays shall be paid for at the rate of time and a half. SUBURBAN AND COUNTRY WORK.

(a) Every - workman shall be at the place where his work is to he performed at the’ time appointed for commencing work, but should taich place be situated beyond two miles from tho chief post office of tho towla in which tho employer’s place of business is situated he shall be paid 4d per mile extra for every mile or parti of a mile in excess of the said tivo voiles from tho said post office. If tho work is more than six miles from such post office., it shall be considered country work and shall be paid for at tho ordinary rate plus Is per day extra. Tho above to apply to all apprentices as far ass suburban work is concerned, hut tho r;f.to of extra pay to bo half the amount stated. For the purpose of this paragraph, distances shall be calculated by the nearest mode of access by foot passirngors. (b) If requested by the, workmen, tho employer shall provide reasonable sleeping accommodation ou country work. (c) The hours of work for country work shall be arranged between the employer and tho employee and shall bo paid for at ordinary ratcu. (d) Any workman or apprentice employed on country work) shall he conveyed bv his employer to and from the work free of charge, or his travelling expenses going to and returning from such work shall he paid hy his employer, but once onlv during the continuance of the work, and if it is to be continuous and tho journeyman <3>r apprentice is not called away by his employer. (e) No worker shall be paid more than

ordinary day’s wages for any day occupied by him in travelling, even although it should exceed eight hours, unless ho is on the same day occupied in working for his employer. The-provisions of this clause shall apply for all apprentices. (Ij Apprentices employed in counti-y work shall 1)0 provided with board and lod'diio-s by the employer free of charge. PIECE-WORK. Piece-work is prohibited except in respect of stair-building. Work shall not bo sublet (labour only). CONVENIENCES. Employers shall provide upon the works a properly secured place for workers’ tools, and shall also provide proper sanitary conveniences for the use of tho workers. SHARPENING TOOLS. (a) Where two or more, men aro employed, the employer shall employ proper grinding facilities for the sharponiim of tools, either at the workshop or mi each job, tor the use of cbo Worker. (h) When a worker has been regularly employed on the erection of any building for four weeks or 'more, or on repairing or alteration work lor one week or more, he shall, on being discharged, he entitled to receive two hours’ notice, during which time he shall have' the right to sharpen lus tools if they require sharpening, or to bo paid two hours’ extra time. All workmen shall have their tools in perfect order at the time of starting work, for u new employer. apprentices.

(a) The number of apprentices shall be limited to one (1) to every (3; journeymen, or iraetjon of three (3j. fbj Tlio period oi apprenticeship shall he five years. (c) An employer, before taking a a vouth as an apprentice, shall be entitled to engage Him for three mouths on probation; if at the end oi such time the vouth becomes apprenticed, such period of three months shall be reckoned as part of ins period of apprenticeship. . (d) An employer, on taking an apprentice, shall give notice thereof and the name of the apprentice to the Inspector of Factories within one week alter tiro period oi probation, and an employer, transferring an apprentice to another employer, shall also, within one week thcrcol, give notice ot such transfer to such inspector. (e) The wages to be pair! to apprenbices shall be as lollows; —i>unng xbe first year of their apprenticeship not less than 10s per week, during lias second year not less than 15s per week, during the third year not less than .Cl per week, during the iounh year not loss than £1 os per week, during the fifth vear not less than £1 10 s per week.' When employed upon country work the apprentice shall he paid such wages for all overtime worked as maybe agrethl upon, but not less than tho rates herein mentioned, and shall also bo then provided with food and sleeping accommodation by the employer free of cost.

(0 Any employer taking an apprentice to learn the trade shall be deemed to undertake the dutyi which he agrees to jicrform as a duty under this award. The obligation of the apprentice to serve his employer shall also be a duty enforceable under this award. . (g) At the end of the period ot apprenticeship the employer shall give tlio apprentice a certificate to, show that ho has served his apprenticeship. Should the employer, at any time before the termination of the apprenticeship, wish for any valid reason to dispense with the services of the apprentice, ho shall give him a certificate for the time served, and procure him another employer carrying on business within a reasonable distance of the original employer’s place of business, who shall continue to teach the apprentice, _pay him the rates prescribed in this award according to the total length of time he has served, and generally to perform the obligations.of the original employer, orovided that it shall not l'o oblh gatory on tho employer to find tho apprentice another employer if ho shall so misconduct himself as to entitle tho employer to discharge him, but the employer shall give the apprentice a certificate covering the time actually served. (h) When tho apprentice is discharged for a cause, the employer shall send notice of this discharge and tho cause thereof to the Inspector of Factories.

(f) An employer shall not be deemed to have discharged his duty to his apprentice if ho fails to keep him at work owing to slackness of trade, but such slackness may form a proper ground for transferring him to an employer willing to undertake tho responsibility of teaching him. All time lost by an apprentice through his sickness or default mav he deducted from his wages. (j) Existing arrangements with and relating to indentured apprentices nowserving an employer may continue, provided that any employer wishing such arrangements to continue shall forward tho names of his present apprentices to tho Inspector of Factories within one month after tho filing of this award.

(k) Existing arrangements with and relating to apprentices now serving an employer may continue provided that any employer wishing such arrangements to continue shall forward in writing tho names and conditions of the apprenticeship now existing to the Inspector of Factories for tho district. This subclause (k) shall only apply to apprentices who have been in their employers’ service prior to April 16, 1012. EXEAtPTIONS. The Taranaki Education Board shall be exempt from the provisions of this award except as regards clauses 1,2, 3 and 7. SCOPE OF AAYAHD. This award shall operate over tho Industrial District of Taranaki. TERM OF AAVARD. Two years unless superseded by a Dominion aivard in which case this award shall lapse. The assessors for the employers recommended that the rate of wages agreed upon for carpenters and joiners should bo payable as from April 1, 1912, and they further recommended that the employers should, ns far as possible, observe tho conditions of the recommendations arrived at, as from to-day. At the close of tho proceedings Air. A\ r . Grenfell, on behalf of tho employers, moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Commissioner for the fair and impartial, tactful and patient manner in which he had controlled the proceedings. He admitted that the settlement arrived at was in a groat measure due to the able assistance rendered by the Commissioner. He pointed out that if employers and employed met in a Conciliation Council with the right spirit and an earnest desire to come to a proper understanding, good results must inevitably follow. Mr. Ivor Hazell, in seconding the motion, on behalf of tho. Union, unhesitatingly affirmed that the settlement of the dispute was duo to tho tact, patience and ability exercised by the Commissioner and, on behalf of his Union, he warmly thanked him for tho successful results arrived at.

Messrs. Biatherwick and Arnold for tho Union, and Messrs. Brooking, Coleman and Boon for the employers,

concurred with tho words of the previous speakers and. tho motion was carried with acclamation. The 'Commissioner in reply thanked those present for their appreciation of his services, and said that the dispute from its outset, had been fought with grave difficulties and complications. He recognised the able assistance rendered by the assessors on both rides, without whoso cordial co-operation it would have been impossible to have arrived at such an amicable agreement.