APPRENTICES

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 31 May 1923, Page 7

APPRENTICES

About the Proposed Bill.

WHAT IS WANTED? . QUESTIONS IN CONCILIATION COUNCIL. PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM WELLINGTON, Wednesday The matter of apprentices, which has caused considerable discussion in the Dominion during recent months, was the subject of important proposals at the Conciliation Council iviien the dispute under consideration was that between the carpenters and jomers and the master builders.

TN their application the employers A asked that Hie wages lor apprentices should be 30 per cent, of a journeyman's minimum uage lor the first six months rising to 9u per cent, of a journeyman’s minimum wages in the last six months of a live-year period of apprenticeship. It was provided that examinations should take place each six months. It was claimed that where technical education was available apprentices should be allowed to attend on two half-day* .weekly. In the general claims it was set out that niece work should be piolubited A scheme on £ e ' y inies .was pioposed in the counter-claims ot the employers. The text of tfie desired amendment was that the period of apprenticeship ior youths under 16 years oi age, when commencing a trade, should be live years, and for those over tfiat age four years, but that six months should be allowed the employer ol an apprentice to determine Ilia fitness. I he clause, in regard to adults set ouj, that in order that unskilled men might be trained as carpenters, employers might enter into agreement with men without former experience to teach them the trade ns carried on by the employer on the terms and conditions, applying to apprentices so far as they were applicable, aiijj.l subject to variation, and m addition m regard to the attendance at technical schools, and passing of examinations and the proportion of apprentices. Rates of pay for apprentices would range from £1 2s (id in the first year to £2 5s in the fourth. For adult apprentices the ijjiy would commence at 40 per cent, ol the rate for a journeyman, rising to 7G per cent, in the fifth sixth months qy- service. Provision was made for employers to pay arn impioveiV wage to a.a apprentice of one vear’s standing, that is not less than li 6d per hour, and Is 9d in the case of i adults. It is cles.ii’ed to delete tfie clause in the award relating to piecework and to substitute one to authorise the chiployer to adopt a ay system of payment by results that might be mutually agreed upon between the worker and the employe}-’. Speaking on the matter AJ'r Bloodworth stated that both sides were agreed that something drastic, was necessary in connection with apprentices. Under present conditions they were not

pelting men really to carry on tlm work alter the present journeymen were too olcl lor mrtiier woyk. nien were some 25UU parties cited by tne Union. Each had the right to at least one apprentice. Some oi t-liem had tiio right to more, but throughout the -Dominion to-day there were not moie than 50U apprentices, and it was clear, that it was not the limitation clause in the award that prevented apprentices being taken oil. Ho had a list oi boys ready to go into the trade and other lists were Known oi, but he could not iind employers who were ready to give the apprentices employment. 'this question of apprentices was the mam one in connection with the industry to-day in ’this Dominion. The industry with which they were concerned was only second in importance to the agricultural industry. It must be evident that unless they provided some way by whicii the boys would be brought into the' industry and properly trained it was going to be a very serious outlook, not only from the point, of view of the industry, but also from tho national outlook. Their demands were based on other awards in operation, and they hoped that the employers would consider their proposals as practical men, and settle the whole thing and not have to send the matter to the. Court, which was comprised of men who had not an intimate knowledge of the industry. He did not think that they were prepared to accept the proposals of the master builders, but they were prepared to go carefully into the matter with a view to a settlement that would satisfy both parties and would do something towards solving tho difficult question that faced them. Mr Mainland, representing the master builders, said that many of the builders were in a small way and were not able to take on apprentices, but there was a dearth of apprentices. Many considered that, the restrictions ;in the past wew among the main causes for the present position. He, ; however, wanted to draw tlieir atten- ; tion to the fact that there was an ApI prenticeship Bill coming before the House, and he thought that this would contribute largely, towards bringing about what was going to be the best method of dealing with apprentices. He did not thiiik that the Council would get very far with the matter. After discussion the hearing was adjourned until to-morrow.'