BOARD SURPRISED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21087, 13 July 1938, Page 6

BOARD SURPRISED

Award Prematurely Announced Wages Agreed To Members of the South Canterbury Electric Power Board received a mild surprise at yesterday's meeting when they learned that the terms of a proposed award between the Board and its employees had been announced on Monday night by national broadcasting station 3 YA. The Board was considering a report on the new scale of salaries when Mr C. C. Knight remarked that the salaries agreed upon by the assessors had been announced over the air. “Was it part of the Prime Minister’s special broadcast?” asked a member, amid laughter. . “They must be pretty hard up for news,” remarked another member. The chairman (Mr Dash) said the information must have been given out by Mr Thurston, workers’ representative at the conference, in Christchurch. “A Bit Premature” “If it was, it was a bit premature as the proposals have not yet been agreed to by this Board,” said Mr S. I. Fitch. “They had no right o do it." said the chairman. If the Board did not agree to the proposals the whole thing would be “washed out” and they would have to go to the Court In any case, the documents had not yet been signed. He had not heard the broadcast, but if it had been announced as the proposals agreed to bj the committee of assessors that would be correct. Mr Knight said it had been announced that the Geraldine area officer was to receive £7 5/- a week and the salaries of all the officers had been given. Mr K. McKenzie said he also had heard the broadcast. The assessors’ report on the proceedings stated that an amended claim regarding wages had been submitted by the men, as follows: Area officers. £7. maintenance men. £6 10 '-, Geraldine area officer, £6/10/-, Fairlie area fficer, £6 15/-, testing electrician, £6 15'-. storeman, £5 10-. maintenance men if inspectors. £6/5/-. The result of much discussion and several retirements was as ' allows: Area officers. £7, maintenance men. £6, Geraldine area officer, £6 10/-, Fairlie area officer. £6 15/-, testing electrician £6 TO '-, storeman, £5/10/-, maintenance men if inspectors, £6 5/-. The report stated that the total of salary increases was £lOl9 a year. The report was adopted.