NEW AWARD FOR TRAMWAY MEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17781, 26 February 1926, Page 8

NEW AWARD FOR TRAMWAY MEN.

SMALL ALL-ROUND INCREASE IN WAGES. A complete agreement was arrived at In tlie Christchurch Tramways dispute at a further meeting of the parties held yesterday by direction of the Court of Arbitration. Mr W. H. Hagger presided, the following assessors being present: Employers—Messrs John Barr, David Sykes and Frank Thompson; union— Messrs Ernest Snow, Arthur C. L. Brown and Kenneth S. M’Callum. There were present also members of the union, present also the members of the union. The new award comes into operation on Monday, March 1, and will continue in force until December 9, 3 927. In many respects the new award is on the lines of the old one, but there has been a slight increase in wages in The following minimum rates of wages were drawn up: Conductors—First six months, Is Sjd per hour: second six months. Is 9d; second, third, fourth and fifth years Is Did; over live years, Is IOJd. Motormen—First and second years. Is 9Jd; third, fourth and fifth years, is 10|d; over five years. Is Hid; employed on 'buses, 2s Oid. Clauses in connection with hours of work, broken shifts and overtime were unchanged. In the clause relating to time allowances it was providod that: “ Conductors on straight shifts shall be allowed fifteen minutes for signing on at any of the depots, and Wn minutes for signing off and paying in. Conductors on broken shifts shall receive fifteen minutes for signing on at the commencement of the day’s work, and five minutes for sapling on and five minutes for signing off each subsequent shift, but the allowance for signing off at the end of a day’s work shall be ten minutes.” The above is an increase in the time allowance. All other clauses in the traffic section of the award remained unchangedThe following schedule of minimum rates of pay for permanent-way employees was agreed to; Permanent way air tampers, 2s 3§d per hour; track-cleaners, Is 10Jd; permanent. way labourers, Is lid; motorwagon drivers, Is 10jd; spikers, platelayers, Jolntmen and bondsmen shall receive Is per day additional while so employed. This means an increase of §d an hour for all grades except track-cleaners. The remaining clauses of the old award were unaffected. The following schedule of minimum rates of pay for employees in the overhead and powerhouse section were decided on: Firemen and greasers. Is 104 d; overhead linesmen, 2s; assistant linesmen, Is 10Jd; emergency linesmen, 2s. In this case also there was an increase of id per hour all round. The following rates of pay were arranged for employees in the car-shed section: Car adjusters and examiners (day), Is ll|d; car adjusters and examiners (night), 2s Oid; pitmen (day), is lOJd; pit.rnen (night), Is 31 id; car cleaners fday), 1s 10Jd; car cleaners (night), Is IGid; car-shed labourers. Is 10Jd. Again a general increase of id has been authorised.