RABBITERS’ AWARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 300, 18 December 1937, Page 6

RABBITERS’ AWARD

A COMPLETE AGREEMENT INTERESTING POSITION [ Per Press Association. 7 HASTINGS, Dec. 17. The fact that the Rabbit and Rabbit Proof Fencing Boards throughout the Dominion had been separated from other rural local bodies in the matter of the industrial dispute and had reached complete agreement as to the schedule of the employees’ award was mentioned this morning by Mr. Bruce Kelly, secretary of the North Island Rabbit Board’s Association. The award is applicable to the whole of New Zealand and, while the rates of pay are substantially higher than has been the case for the South Island, they are on a par with the rates ruling in a number of North Island districts. An interesting provision of the award is that no fixed number of hours is included, the hours of work being arranged to suit each board, but where practicable shall not exceed forty a week. Where practicable, the employees shall be allowed a holiday on Saturday of each week. To compensate for the elasticity of the hours it is provided that workers shall be granted two weeks’ holiday on full pay each year of service with the same employer. The scale of minimum wages or salaries as set out by the award is as follows: Inspectors, not less than £260 the first year, rising by annual increments of £lO to £3OO, and thereafter by mutual arrangement; rabbiters, £4 8s 4d, rising to £4 10s after June 1 next in

the event of completion of one year’s service; working inspectors, £4 12s 6d: camp cooks, £4 15s; other workers, £4 8s 4d; casual workers, 2s 4d per hour. Youths under 18 years, £2; between 18 and 19 years, £2 7s 6d; between 19 and 20 yetrs, £2 15s; between 20 and 21 years, £3; the proportion of youths to be one to three adult workers. The award has been made retrospective to June 1 and continues in force until May 31, 1938.