ARBITRATION COURT

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13271, 29 August 1916, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT

LOCAL BODIES' LABOURERS.

CONCILIATION COUNCIL'S

RECOMMENDATIONS

OBJECTED TO BY COUNTRY BODIES.

By 'ltdegrapn.—Press Association

AUCKLAND, Monday

The local bodies labourers' dispute •came before the Arbitration Court today, His Honor Mr Justice Stringer presiding, with Messrs W. Scott and J. A. McCullough as assessors, the dispute Icing the outcome of objection by country local bodies to being included in the terms proposed for labourers employed by boroughs councils and town boards. The Conciliation Council bad recommended that the hours of work by labourers employed by borough councils and town boards should he 48 per neck, of which should be on each of five days a week, and 05 on the half holiday; the hours of work for other bodies to be 48, but arranged to meet the exigencies of the work. The Council recommended also the following rates of pay:—Quarrymen, Is 2d per hour; rock drill men, Is 4jd; casual labourers, Is 2d; tool sharpeners, Is 3d; sanitary drain layers, Is fid; men in shafts or trenches six foot deep, in tunnels, Is 3d; gasworks stokers, 10s per day; yardmen, Is 2d per hour; servicers, Is 4£d; sanitary carters, 12s per day; permanent hands, .t'2 17s Gil per week. It was recommended that permanent bands in receipt of not less than i'2 17s (id per week should lie permitted to do any work required by the local body employing them. So long as the war lasted ;md for three months after a bonus of I" per cent on wages to be paid. Overtime lor workers employed by borough councils and (own hoards to be time and a-quartor for the first two hour-, time and a-half up to ID p.m., and double time after 10 p.m., the award no! to apply io farmers not in constant employment by a local body. Mr s. E. Wright, secretary of the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association, informed (lip Court that some of the councils bad accepted the recommendation*, bin iliai a large number objected io ill .in. .Mr W. K. Richards represented th • Labourers' I'nion. Mr I). ( . Martin, chairman of the Whakatauc llaiUnii' Board, which objects to the proposed lerius, »aid that the relai ion-, bet w en the Hoard and its employee* n d always been satisfactory. As there - .:> more work than workers the men u i i e in a good position, and got higher pay than was asked lor by the imioi:. I!e also confemh d lliat as many of the men bad gone to the : i on I the :ime «,;, most inopportune lor any trouble, w hie t lie only purpi i*e which the i ■ s'l i;-;:n;;s would s, nv would be the lies', i~; mil of ihe present hainionioits -pii it. The men were al*o glad til pi e-. ei io earn the exira oxertime IliOlleV o 1 s '.\,\ per hour. (': i*>-( \..mined, w iines* said that two . .en v ere paid nil >re I ban I * -\\ per horn. He added: "We wani Io save the n I rem ibeir protessed trends. We vo to pay iliein what they ask now. Th President : Yoii had hi tier not tell ; em that. W i n's- w .an on tu say (hat iho men thoup it the demands being made by the union vi re nt in their interests. Mi ('. A. Cawkweil. Waitemata Ooumy clerk, said that 21 oitl ol 2S bodie had sent in objections. ;he corxTY cocncils' objections. Mr •!. B. t Jow, chairman of the (>potiki ('• linn Council, and who conducted for a.i the objecting county councils, raised objection to the breaking ol fresh ground at a lime when the whole business ol the i ouniiy was disorganised by the war. He contended that county counci's should he free to employ what men they liked, as was the case with the Public Works Department. He said there would also he some difficulty regarding farmers. Mr Richard* remarked that the exemption clause' was not enough. County councils should not be hampered in any way. The President.: I suppose you do not object to the minimum wage:'—"Not at all. The wages question is immaterial. We recognise the importance of proper wages and are prepared to pay iliein.'' He went on Io say that the new conditions would be unworkable, as the men employed wire so scattered that they would never have any voice in the union. 40 in answer io tiie president Mr Cowstated that t! e councils did employ men who did not belong to the union. They objected io tin- preference clause in particular. Hi' ((intended that councils should lane the right io emplo\ returned soldiers irrespective ot whether they belonged to any union or not. Mr A. M. bang, chairman ol Waitemata C.iunn Council, informed the Court that the Council had never had any complaint Ironi its employees, and he was satisfied thai none ol the men would join the union. . Mr (J. A. Jackson, engineer of WaiteI mata County Council, declared that the conditions of work in the country were entirely different to those in the town. A number of county council engineers gave evidence lo the effect that the relations with the men employed by the councils were excellent at present, and that country conditions were such as to (make observance of all the proposed award conditions impracticable. Some of the witnesses declared that the men had stated distinct dislike to the idea of ■ Joining the union, Wilfred Micklejohn, surfaceman, !'■ spoke of the satisfactory conditions at [ittHrment prevailing .and could not see in joining the union. might he benefits in the large workmen gave evidence on I similar lines. 11 : His Honor : What kind of workers do I'jou expect to get in? I Mr Richards: The casual workers of ■ the county councils. We are exempting ■ farmers and settlers. B His Honor: IT you do not get the ■ farmers and settlers who will you get? ■ ; Mr Richards: Men going about the ■country looking for work. [ His Honor: Are we to put the county Hjjouncils to all this trouble to catch a ■wandering casual? The bulk of the Heounty councils' labour is obtained from Hiettlers or farmers, and there is very Kittle left for the union. The councils Kjl seem willing to accept the minimum ■rage fixed by the Conciliation Council, id I do not know what more you can |§|r Richards: The only clause they to i& that dealing with prference. ■ter a little further discussion His Ror said decision would be reserved.