FIRE BRIGADES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 May 1938, Page 3

FIRE BRIGADES

PROVISIONS OF NEW AWARD. HOLIDAYS AND WAGES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. May 14. A new award covering fire brigade employees in the Wellington (except Wellington City), Taranaki and Nelson industrial districts was filed by the Second Court of Arbitration yesterday. The award fixes the minimum weekly rates of wages as follows: —Probationer fireman. £4 2s 6d; third-class fireman, £4 ss; second-class fireman, £4 10s; first-class fireman. £5 2s 6d; senior fireman, £5 ss; mechanic. £5 10s; foreman or station officer, £6. Motor drivers are to be paid 5s a week in addition. Where a man is employed on relieving duty and has to get a meal outside of the station at which he is employed he is to be paid the sum of Is 6d a meal in each case.

The wages of watchroom attendants were fixed at from £2 10s a week for the first three months to £3 6s for those with over 21 months’ service, provided that workers over 21 years of age are paid £3 16s a week.

Each worker is to be allowed 24 hours’ continuous leave, commencing at 9,. a.m., without deduction of pay, every fourth day, and if fire duty or sickness prevents such leave being taken the leave shall be made up to the worker later. Workers may, with permission of the superintendent, change leave between themselves. On completion of six months' continuous service, each worker is to be granted 28 days’ holidays without deduction of pay. Payment of wages covering holiday periods is to be mr.de prior to workers going on leave. Whenever a member is rendered unfit for duty through sickness, he is to be paid full pay during the first 14 days, and at its expiration the board may review each case on its merits, with a view to extending such pay for a further period. Payment for salvage is fixed at 3s an hour from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 4s an hour from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. In a memorandum to the award Mr Justice Hunter states: — “The principal matters referred to the court were definitions, wager, leave of absence, scope and term of the award. “The court recently made an award for fire brigade employees in Auckland. Following on that the parties in the Wellington city area agreed en the terms of their award. In this case the court has followed, in the main, its decision in the Auckland dispute and the agreement of the parties in Wellington. “This decision represents the views of a majority of the court. Mr Duff does not agree with the rates of wages awarded, it being his opinion that they are on too high a scale having regard to other concessions, principally the provisions relating to extended holiday leave.” The award, so far as it relates to wages, is deemed to have come into force on April 13, 1938, and so far as the other conditions are concerned it will be deemed to have come into force on May 9, 1938, and it will remain in force until May 9, 1939.