ABATTOIR SLAUGHTERMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12110, 12 September 1917, Page 6

ABATTOIR SLAUGHTERMEN.

+ CITY COUNCIL CITED. CONCILIATION COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. Mr .T. R- Triggs, Conciliation Commissioner, presided at a mooting of the Conciliation Council to-day at the Government Buildings, when the dispute between the Canterbury Slaughtermen's Union and the Christ,church Citv Council was considered. Ihe-fol-lowing were the respective assessors For the City Council—Messrs J. KHavward J. W. Beanland and n- fe. b. Kvle, wish Mr H. - For the union-Messrs S. Mumfmd, J. Fletcher and P. C. Ellis. The union's demands tv-four hours' week. W orkm ? ho«is io bo from 8 a.m. to o p.m. dail>, except, Thursday, when the closing houi shou a hi. (5 p.m.. and 011 Saturday at noons Slaughtermen required to load betoie 8 a.m. to be paid 3s per exlt j All slaughtermen to be paid rite wecklv, overtime to be paid at tho rate of ti™ and a half. inen to receive £1 » day of eigh A casual slaughterman to he one not onp.sed for more than a week- V/' to lie paid in cash, fortnightly. Casu 1 men to be paid on discharge. 1 ' efp once to be Riven to members of the Canterbury Slaughteimen s Union. AU stock to be penned. No dead s .. to be skinned by slaughtermen titteen minutes in forenoon and afteiiiuoii to be allowed 'lor Holidavs to be January 1 and --Good Friday. Easter Monday and Tuesday, Christmas and Boxing Days. Labour. Show, Anniversary and picnic days. Slaughtermen could be employed for four hours 011 certain of the holidays at double rates. No Sunday work. , . , Mr Hayward, in explanation to the* Commissioner, said that the council had offered"the men a. rise in wages from £3 10s to £3 los. and a rise in early morning loading rates from 2s bd to 3s an hour. "Without overtime, a. man could earn in a forty-eight hours week £4 2s. The City Council'bad considered the matter very fully and could not "go beyond the offer. Unless the men would accept there was no use goMr Beanland said that since tbo recent conference with the slaughtermen the Board of Trade had fixed the retail prices of-*moat, and if the wanes were now increased how could that) extra eost be obtained. Mr Ellis declared that the prices of meat had been increased since the conference. Mr Mumford said that evidently the council wished the men to bear the eost. Mr Beanland asked if the men were not satisfied. why did they not go somewhere else? Mr Ellis: The council would not like that. Mr Ellis described some of the grievances of the men. Mr Hayward said that so long as the Addington markets were held 011 "Wednesday the butchers would require their meat 011 Thursday and the working conditions could not be altered. Mr Kyle detailed the hours of work at. iho abattoirs, aud sa.id that it was impossible to lessen the working week. Thore was considerable cross-talk, the Commissioner finding it necessary to say to one of the city councillors : " I do not know what the practice is at the City Council, but hero only one gentleman speaks at a time." T'lto Commissioner later asked if the City Council would be willing to grant a 10 per cent war bonus. Mr Hayward No, The Commissioner'suggested that the union should accept the City Council's offer, say, for a year. Mr Muni ford: Will the City Council pay the £3 15s as fro 11 April 1 last ?" Mr Haywrrd : "Oh, no." Each set of assessors retired in turn, whilst th; 1 Commissioner discussed certain proposals with the other party The Union refused the City Council's offer of £3 los -weekly and 3s an hour for eariv loading, to start as from Juno 1. .Mr Ellis said that the men had forgone £6 monthly by not accepting the council's offer in April last. Mr Hayward: "That >s not our fault-" Mr Ellis suggested that the City Council should concede £3 17s (id a week, to start as from Monday next. Mr I lay ward declared that they were not prepared to consider anything beyond £3 los a week. After further consultations, the proceedings were adjourned to Friday next, at 3.10 p.m., in order to givie the mien's assessors an opportunity to consult tlu> members.