WAGES DISPUTE

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20359, 17 July 1934, Page 8

WAGES DISPUTE

No Agreement Reached in Drivers’ Case. .

The adjourned hearing of the dispute between the employers and members of the Canterbury Drivers’ and Related Trades Industrial Union of Workers was continued before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) this morning. After discussion the meeting was adjourned sine die. The assessors were: Employers— Messrs H. J. Otlev, C. E. Otley/T. S. Young and D. I. Macdonald; employees—Messrs J. Roberts, E. Parlane, G. T. Thurston, W. Curtis and H. H. M’Caw. The points in dispute w-ere wages, hours of work and overtime. The employees asked for a 4 4-hour week with an eight and a half hour day. The employers wanted a 4S-liour week and a ten-hour day. For the employers, Mr Macdonald said that the employees had reached a tentative agreement for a 4 8-hour week with a limit of nine and a half hours a day: The employers could not go below a ten-hour day. The wages position was clear, as at the last meeting the employers’ assessors had exceeded their offers to the union. The employers weve definitely opposed against a higher rate for drivers and pointed out that they were offering what the men had been paid during the past eighteen months. A difficulty had cropped up through the possibility of firms operating in much the same way as taxi firms on a share or hiring system. Some were already operating in this way in Christchurch. That type of competition was much more effective than one-man carriers. Mr Roberts said they w-ould agree to the w-ording of the 'Wellington award. Dealing with wages, he said they w-ould accept the Wellington rates, but beyond that they could not go. Mr Macdonald said the employers were not prepared to accept the Wellington award. The meeting was adjourned sine die.