INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19814, 4 December 1919, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES.

CASES BEFORE THE ARBITRATION COURT. TO-DAV’B PROCEEDINGS. The Arbitration Court sittings were resumed this morning, when several industrial disputes were placed before the Court. His Honor, Mr Justice Stringer (president) presided, and with him were Mr W. Scott (employers’ representative) and Mr J. A. 'McCullough (employees’ representative). . TIMBER AND COAL YARD WORKERS. The North Canterbury Timber Yards, Sawmills and Coalyards Employees’ Industrial Union of \Vorkers (Mr H. Hunter) applied for an amendment to the existing award in the direction of (1) that in the addition to tho wages therein prescribed c, bonus of 20 per cent shall be paid to ail classes of workers; (2) that tho bonus be extended to youths and carters. The employers wore represented by Air W. Goss. In making tho application Mr Hunter staled that the special ground? of the application were account of the increase in the cost of living since the coming into operation of the award, which had lowered the purchasing power of wages ami which had reduced their value. The cost of living was continually increasing. Tea was going up to 3s 6d a lb and it was said it would not stop there The President: What about cool, Air Hunter®

Mr Hunter: That will probably nr main as it is. The position wag accentuated by tbc fact that when tho last award was made tho union accepted a low rate of pay as a, settlement. The President: vlt is no use putting that forward. An agreement was come to. You have a perfect/ right to have the position reviewed if tho union is dissatisfied, but it cannot bo considered in the application now put before tho Court., Mr Goss contended that tho claims were extortionate and out of all proportion with the increase in tho cost of living indicated by the Government Statistician's reports. Tho proportion of increase from tho pre-war period in March last had risen to 32.21 and from figures since given tho increases at tho end of December would sliosv a per ccntago of 34.08, a difference _of I 2.47 per cent only, while tho union I asked for 20 per cent increase. Tho president pointed out that the [ statistician did not consider the increase To clothing in his reports. The I cost of living had gone up more in that I line than any other. Mr Goss stated that the employers felt that no alteration should lie made in tho carters’ award unless the Court decided that it should apply to the Dominion as a whole. Tho president replied that the Court would take time to consider its decision. A table accompanying tbo application showed the existing rates and proposed union increase to be as follows: First-class machinists, ordinary rate I per hour Is 7Jd, bonus l)d, under 2Q j per cent advance, 2s lid per hour; j second-class machinists, Is lid, Ift ! 10;|d; other workers at machines, la ! 3Jcl, li'tl.ls Sid; sawyers. Is Gjd, lid, I 2s; head yardman, per week. £3 I.os, 1 ss. £4 10s: orderraan, £3 2s tkl, os, £4 | Is; other workers, per hour. Is 3id, i 1,-Jd.. Is B’jd; casuals, Is 4ld, lid. As j Slid, sawyers in coal yards. As 4pl. 1 LA jls 9id. Youths, per week. £1 ss. 20 ' per cent advance £1 10s, £1 Us to £1 ; fl7*' ‘ijd, £1 17s to £2 4s .4-1 d, £2 5s |to £2 Ms. Carriers. £3 Gs to £3 19s 2UA £3 3s 6d to £4 12s 2d. Overtime to be based on total wage, flat rate and bonus QUESTION OF OVERTIME RATE. .Mr C. Rcnu, on behalf of the Canto: bury Engineers, Canterbury .Metal Workers’ As.-datants, Canterbury Tinsmiths and Sheet .Metal Workers, Canterbury Electrical Workers, Range Workers,■ .Victor Mechanics and tho Limed Boilermakers’ Unions applied for an increase lu overtime rates, the overtime to bo paid on puts the war bonus rate. Mr F. Cooper represented the employers. -Mr Keun submitted figures to show that under the old conditions, on time and a quarter on is Kid tho rate worked out at 2s 3Jd an hour, which was i amended in the existing award to time and a half on Is < (tho ordinary 1 wage minus bonus), making the rate I2s oRi an hour. Under the old conditions so far as three hours’ work was concerned 7s 4d would be earned, while under tho existing award 7s 3id was earned. The claim was put for-

ward ou a fundamental basis of the Court that the practice of overtime was not to be encouraged, as it was not to tiie workers interest to encourage overtime work. The whole point was that if men were called on ig work overtime the rate should be on the bonus as well ns the wage proper. The president replied that the bogus hud nothing to do with overtime. The bonus was something given to the workers to enable them to keep up with the increased cost of living. Mr Menu replied that the employers were in the habit of paj'iug overtime on the bonus, bub had dropped it since the order made by tho Court in September. that being an amendment, to the award operating throughout the Dominion. The result was that men had refused to work overtime throughout the Dominion. The men contended that they had tho right to ..refuse overtime work. Mr Cooper entered objection to the application on three main grounds, namely: (1) That the decision of the (.ourt on tlie point had been made onlv m September; (2j that it was not the practice of the Court to rehear cases unless on very solid grounds and at infrequent intervals, and that the action of men refusing to work overtime constituted a breach of section 110 of the 1908 Act; and (3) that if there were any equity tho men were already receiving 35 ner cent more for overtime than pre-war rates allowed them The president stated that the. Court had nothing; to do with the suppestion 'nut a breach of the award had been committed. It had to deal with tho claim only and would take time to consider its decision.