CLERKS’ UNION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19999, 15 July 1920, Page 8

CLERKS’ UNION.

CONCILIATION COUNCIL proceedings. r A i°* Conciliation Council tiiT n, • ( to f day ’, to Collßidur the claims of t, Cnsct u r * Clerks'. Cashiers' and of* „|’3 mp ° yC€:i , Unioc regarding iho wages Mr W ' fl u C:JS ii° ed ( '* t Hun local bodies, doner’-nri'-ii K m’, ColJ ciiiution Commiswero ’ at',‘ d '' d ;,, . Illc lowing local bodies A=hburt4i tXl 'r' r ' ChrlE ' tch, ' rcll c «y Council, Briffin ’ r ‘ m ? ru * Wod3ton - Sumner, New -W . Lyttelton Borough Councils, Board u Dramas Countv r° BPlia lioard ' !u:d Waimairi Messrs J C A U Ni ‘ 1 , assessors wore HobU .in'.l leid " ?r ' F ' Thompson and P. lU'ion’w, 11 Mf I ' Coop(,r as a « t,nt - Tho K n t ,B /Rented bv Mcssra *’• C. -Un-tiU’ K. L. Smith and E. E. d e p lii;o , hout.p“ a e laimS i, ' cludcd 11 thirty-eight "t l,m * m CICOB3 t0 he Paid - for iltf&S? a baU wilh Saturday Employees seventeen years of i»i(i w 'i !Kkr re nt " ; re" ’ the Kf ' rviM Fhali So !>.<Ki net less than the following rates.— Daßn" tt’ e firat ,- v 6 ol :jervice • X l*s 'o IhuiS- t' Co '’' yw? "/ 30r :' k '° • 110 ° ■' J’ enr of service .30 0 j Ifc 4 , : ' six th year of service . S-10 0 p i :** B °. v fth year of service .GOO ; the eighth year of service . 610 0 Dunne tho ninth year of service . fi 17 , lh ” CWW I ' ’ • - 7 30-0 vi'r Un “| B D’ p istes-Pi rf; t year, £1 sa; second L, r ’. lii:rcl >W, £i\ fourth year Pru-l'Va 1 year ’ £i 15 - 'thereafter. U hj„ J-rovuiod that on reaching the a gc „{ (, v , elltv . i'i°u'> e!lrS ’ n0 , c * erk r, knll 1,0 l ,lU( t lest) than A ■ j3 J CV •n per week. Assist ant inspectors os | nuisance and assistant traffic and motor inajwc.ors shall bo paid not less than £5 its \h[ ,* IVU year6 ’ aild not leHn dwn •£' 10s fr M 'e- tor clcrkß shall he paid not loss than & jos per week. I lolidays: (a) Tho following shall be ob- ■' Bvv p 23 fl ! ! holidays, vlk:-Christmas Mi ’ ?°”"S Day ’ Sours Day, the day o lowing Good Friday. Easter Saturday, CiUer -Jonclny, Easter Tuesday. Anniveraary Day Labour Bay, People’s Show Bay, the buthday of tho reigning sovereign, ami ivnzao Day. (b) Any work dons on' Su- I M ' . t d hr ? lstmas Day or Good Friday shall I bo paid tor at double time, rates, and all ("r'a, ']' orket | on any of the other specified tboUn’f 8 B i nC -i a P' observed in lion thereof, shall be paid for at the rate of , e nnd .» half., (c) One holidav of fotir,v! n t "'°? Ins on full pay' shall bo fctanted m each worker under this award, on completion of each year of service.- fd)« ! Lmpioycea with over ten years’ service shall i be allowed three weeks, end over twenty I years service one month holidav per annum. J-fie counter-proposals were that the proposed award should apply to workers principally ongßged in clerical work, and inspecters and meter readers but net to those employed substantially aa mesaengera. or to hose m receipt of per annum. The hours of work to be forty-eight weekly, or mno hours a day. Tho minimum wages to oc:— n

Male workers, if twenty-sis years of age, ivitn not less than five yearn’ experience, to receive £4 4s weekly. Holders of a matriculation or Senior Civil Service pass shall receive os a week additional, as shall Holders of a pass certificate in commercial accountancy. Workers over nineteen veers ot age, without previous experience, shall oe regarded aa commencing on their third year. Casuals lo’ba paid by tho hour at not less than 25 per ceut over above rates. Holidays to bo as follows; New Year's Ley, bhow Bay Good Friday, Easter Monday, boveroign’g Birthday, Labour Bay, Christmas ay and Boxing Bay. Work on such ciuvs to bo paid for at double rates. One week’s holiday on full pay to bo granted to each worker on completion of a year of service, lea money allowance to Ijo la. The Commissioner said that this was tho urst time ui New Zealand that tko local bodies had boon so cited. On Mr Cooper’s application, it was agreed Board* mPt H ° spitttl (~nd Chftr itnble Aid Air Martin gave an assurance that the local bodies not cited in the present plaint W i’i i du 'y Proceeded against. He added that over 95 per cent of tho clerical employees Engaged by the City Council'were now members of tho union. Discussing tho “ classes of workers ” clause, Mr Cooper warned tho union that one result of the demands, if granted, would' be that several men would get the sack,' l as not be' worth tho money asked. Distinctions too should be mado between men employed in tho City Council office and those engaged by the smaller councils aoing similar typo of work. Air Thompson said that the Tramway board was . not a local body, and its inspectors should not conic under tho proposed award. r Mr Cooper said that the Drainage Board's inspectors v;erv> plumbers. It was agreed to' exempt those engaged substantially ua iuspe-ctora cm* played by the Christchurch Drainage and Tramway Board-j end thoEo receiving ov*or C ‘ annual!}’, the amount to bti agreed unon later. p i **^ll Dlesher said that traffic inspectors should bo exempted, and the award should solely a ” clerks' ” award. . Martin said , that they wanted all the inspectors protected. Municipal employees should bo well treated. Air Flcsher aaid that tho municipal cmployooß had special privileges; no loss of a nay s pay,- with superannuation paid. Ho wished to opposo the contention that because a man was engaged by a municipal body ho should receive special treatment. Tho money to pay them came from tho rates, and many a poor ratepayer ju the city had to struggle on. , Instances _ were pointed out' of local oodios l clerical employees, with many children. getting ‘‘ miserable pittances.” Mr Martin said that crossing sweepers were getting £5 a week against £4 IDs xor clerks. ■Mr Flesher: Would the clerk caro to do the other’s work? Air Smith said that some of the city’s electrical staff could-not afford to take advantage of tho superannuation privileges.. Mr Alartin: AVnat is tho good of luturo superannuation if a man and his family are starving ? .Uiscußsing tho hours of work iclauao and overtime payments, Mr Flesher said that the employees got extra holidays at present, and if overtime had to be paid, those exira days would hav., to go. Mr Thompson said that tho Tramway Board’s clerks were worked in shifts, and none exceeded forty hours weekly. Mr Flesher said that tho previous demand was lor iouj-eignl uoUxs. au ruaruu sum mat at a previous Council (uceung iv was agreed mat tue oienis' Hours Miuum aland nominally m lony-cigut, vmn Ulo understanding mal the employ ecu afioUid nol Oo peinuiaea, una would, nave me hours and privileges provioumy- enjoyed. Tareo firms', out ot spue, had now made the ionyeigm hours general, and imu penalised women fiy cuumg out mornmg lea. Mr Flesher suggesiou lorcy-iout hours as ti coiii^romibu. Mr xhouipson said the point was no work, uo pay. -uotonnen aim conductor# u.,u ftimuai holidays and overtime payments, hut u uioy mu not work on a nay uiey were supposed to, no pay was made-. \,fiy shoual a c.era, n ho got overtime, be pam for tue halt-hours he was law? -dr nuggar. itu liavo the right to deduct lor such uciauit. 41 was agreed that forty-four hours should constitute a week s worn, eight hours on nvo days a week, and four on lue statutory fiuuhoauay. uutside ol those hours, payment to be mado at the rale of time and a hull but not less than fid an hour. It was agreed to provide special latitude regarding tile day ot tho hail-houuay to tie grunted to tramway clerks. itegardiug the wages demands, Air Flesher said that local bodies took into account length of service and the men's, worth. Local bodies must not -be compared wuli banks, who added wages expenses m their costs. The rales were over-lninlciiod. Mr .Smith said that it ratepayers spout thousands on fireworks and decorations they could spend it on wages. Why should the clerks sutler? •Mr Flesher said that a timo of retrenchment was approaching. Mr Smith said that tho electrical department had said the increased wages could not bo paid, yot expensive jaunta to the AVaimakariri, with motor-cars and afternoon teas, took place. Air Flesher declared that some of those employed by local bodies would not be engaged by private firms. Mr Alartin said that if a mail competent he should go. Mr Flesher; Is that tho policy von advocate? Turn the man adrift even though he has a family to keep. ° Mi Martin: Yes, if he is nol competent. (Proceeding.)

Mai (!«. Females, £ R. A. £ ?. rl. First v?ar . . 1 0 0 10 0 Second year . 1 5 0 1 5 0 Third year . 1 10 0 1 10 0 .Fourth year . 2 0 0 1 IS 0 Fifth venr . 2 12 0 0 o n Thereafter . . i 0 0 2 0 0