CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12088, 17 August 1917, Page 6

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

. *_ —__ CHR-ISTCHURCK PLUMBERS' DISPUTE. NEW AWARD SOUGHT. The Conciliation Council met Mi is morning, to consider the. application of tlio. Chrisichurch Plumbers' Union for a nciv award. Mr J. H. Triggs (Conciliation Commissioner) i>rosidod ami there were also present .Mr •!. I>. Colvillo (employers' representative) and Mr H. Inkerfcoll (Wellington, tlio representative of the union). The proceedings were of a form.')] nature, as a Dominion award is being sought and will be applied for at the September sitting of the Arbitration Court in Chnstchurch. It was pointed out tliat a partial agreement had been come to in Conciliation Court proceedings in Auckland, and the local union was asked to affirm what had been agreed to. and to rosorvp other important points of difference for consideration at the Arbitration Court proceedings. After deliberation this course was agreed, to. Questions in dispute havo reference to wages, overtime, holidays, carrying material, notice of leaving or dismissal, us© of bicycle, dirty work (a new clause), appronticp.s, preference tin which important alterations are asked for), and the term of the award. The present rate of pay for a registered plumber or gn.sfiW or is Is lid per hour. and for all other journeymen 1s orl. The union asks that the minimum wa.ge shall be 2s per hour. The hours' clans© remains the same. The apprentices' clause, containing eleven subclauses, has several important proposals. At present tlio proportion of apprentices is one to two journeyman. The union asks that it shall he one to three, while the employers, in counter proposals, submit that the proportion shall be one to one. One of the subclauses provides tha>r. where practicable within the scope of the award, it shall ho compulsory upon employers to allow apprentices two half days of lalxHir per week, in the first three years of prenticeship, to attend 'technical schools for instruction, anel that it shall bo obligatory upon an apprentice to attend such school, according to itho times arranged- Another clause provides that no apprentice shall lie sent in any work unless he is under the constant supervision of a journeyman, "until he has completed four years of his apprenticeship. The employers object to ithe lastmentioned proposal, anel do not agree to the do-ma mis in regard to two days for technical training. On other points not agreed upon the employers rely upon the old award as counter proposals.