ARBITRATION COURT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14838, 2 December 1913, Page 15

ARBITRATION COURT.

A -. AWARDS MADE.

Awards have been filed with the Clerk of Awards, Christchurcli, in tho matter of the dispute between the Canterbury General Labourers' (Timaru braneli) Incustrial Union of Workers and the employers, and the dispute between tho limaru whari labourers and tho employers. THE WHARF LABOURERS. In his memorandum his Honour Mr Justice ij.ni stated that tlie Timaiu wiiart laoourers' award was based on tno agreement of tne parties, who agree- to leave tne _.tilement ot some ol tho minor provisions ol tlie agreement that appeared to l>o objectionable. -Some oi these had been struck out, and others had been modi lied so as to make them in accordance with the law.

The award applies only to casual labour employed trom day to day, or frcm hour to hour, and does not apply to weekly or permanent employees. It come, into force as from the llth day of June, and continues in force until tho 13th day of June, 1916. The rates of pay vary from is 8d for stevedores and general cargo work, including superpnospha.es in bags, and lime and cement in bags or cases, to Is yd an hour for other work, including tho handling of frozen meat in tho frozendown chambers, and foreign coal, including trimming in bunkers. Overtime rates vary accordingly from 2s 2d to 2s 5d per hour.

Tho preference clause is inserted, but clause (b) states: "Employers in employing labour shall not discriminate against members of the union, and shall not in the engagement or dismissal of men or in the conduct of their business do anything for the purpose of injuring the union directly or indirectly.' Cause (c) states: "When members of the union and non-members are employed together, there shall bo no distinction between members and non-members, and both shall work together in harmony and shall receivo equal pay for equal work." The clauses referring to Performance of Work, read: Clause 11. (a) "It shall be the duty of every worker engaged for tho job of loadiug or discharging any vessel to continue at work on such job in accordanco with the provisions of this award unless he shall be prevented from doing so by causes beyond his control or unless his employer shall consent to "' m leaving the same. (b) There shall be a corresponding duty on the part of every employer to retiim at work any worker engaged for the job of loading or discharging any vessel. Clause 12: "The union at all times shall do all that is reasonably possible to secure that any member thereof without work shall accept any work offered to him and that every member thereof shall carry out his obligations to his employer."

GENERAL LABOTjBERS* AWARD. In his memorandum to the award made in the dispute between the Canterbury General Labourers (limaru Branch) and the employers, his Honour stated that the award was based on the recommendations of the Council ol Conciliation. - The alterations made by the Court were these:—-(a) Some additions had been made, with tho consent of the Union, to the clause relating to hours of work. (b) Ihe minimum wage for general labourers had been increased from Is l_d to Is 2d per hour. (c) Some employers who were working under other .awards, had been struck out as parties. The minimum rate of wages to tunnel men at rock tunnelling work, timber work, or sinking shafts over 10 feet, is Is 6d per hour, tunnel men at clay tunnelling work, and men in charge of derricks or scaffolding, Is 3d per hour. All other classes of labour receive Is 2d per hour. Overtime is fixed at, for the first two hours, time and a quarter; after the first two hours "and until 10 p.m., time and a half; between 10 p.m. and tho recognised time of starting work next morning, .if worked continuously, double time . shall be paid. If. tho worker should be required to commence work after 6 a.m. and before the recognised time of starting the ordinary day's work, the rate and a quarter is to be paid for the time so employed. All time worked on Sunday afternoon is to be paid for at the rate of time and a half, except in the case of time being lost in tho same week through bad weather, when, if mutually agreed " upon, ordinary rate should be ■ paid for the first three hours, and time and a half afterwards. There are special clauses for working in wet places, six hours to constitute a day's work, although eight are paid for. Referring to suburban work, in the event of the worker residing within two miles of such work, he shall not be paid for the time occupied in travelling to and therefrom. One hour's notice of termination of engagement is required on either side. With reference to underrate workers, it shall be competent for a worker to agree in writing with the president or secretary of the union upon such wage, without having same fixed in the usual manner, the union to give notice to the Inspector, of Factories of every agreement so made. The preference clause is tho usual one now being given. It is stated that tho clause shall not compel any employer to dismiss any worker now employed by him, and shall apply only to places within seven miles of any city or town where an employment book is kept. Notice by advertisement in a local newspaper circulating in each town is to be given by the union of the place where the employment book is kept in such town, and of any change in 6uch place. If the union shall fail to keep the employment book in the manner provided, an employer may, if ho thinks fit, so long as such failure 6hall continue, employ any person, whether a member of tho union or not. No employer shall discriminate against members of the union, and no employer shall, in employing or dismissing workers, or in the conduct of his business, do anything for the purpose of injuringthe union, either directly or indirectly. The scope of the award is limited to that part of tho industrial district lying south of the Rangitata river, and the term is for two years, commencing at December 15th, 1913. j

INTERPRETATION OF AWARD. In tho application of an interpretation of clauses 1 and 2 of the Canterbury Coachbuilders' Award, the question asked was, "Whether journeymen employed exclusively on farm drays and contractors' tip drays—that is heavy drayr, without springs—are journeymen within the meaning of the two clauses referred to?" His Honour stated that tho parties were heard in connexion with this matter" in Christchurch, and evidence was called on both sides. There was considerable conflict of opinion on the question submitted. The conclusion arrived at by the Court was that any journeyman body-maker, wheelwright, or smith engaged on the work of making a farm dray or a contractor's tip-dray was a coachbuilder within the meaning of tho coachbuilders' award.