CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16160, 14 March 1918, Page 9

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

BAKERS' DISPUTE. INCREASED WAGES AGREED TO. Mr W. H. Hagger, Conciliation Commissioner, presided at a sitting® of the Conciliation Council yesterday morning, when tho adjourned; dispute between tho Canterbury Bakers' and Pastrycooks' Union and the employers vran taken. Tho hearing was commenced 'on February 21st. Tho employers' assessors were Messrs C. E. Boon, H. Bruce, and H. M. Hawkins. The Union's agent was Mr J. S. Wilson, and its assessors Messrs H. Chillinpwortli and C. Campbell. The matter in dispute wa3 the question of ■wagea. Mr H. D. Broadhead applied for exemption for Beath and Co. and tJio D.1.C., stating that these firms wore at present under the Restaurant and. Tea Rooms award. The Commissioner said that the firms were not cited under tho award referred to. They only claimed to come under >'• therefore suggested that tho matter should be left to the Arbitration Court to decide. |

This course was agreed upon. It was pointed out by a representative of the Union that the ruling award in Gisborne contained clauses similar to tho demands in the present case, and there not a man was getting only the minimum wage. Tie employers contended that it wa3 unfair to compare North and South Island awards. The Qiristchunch trade was declining, whereas in many caeee that of tho North Island was improving.

Lengthy negotiations ensued between the parties, the following recommendations eventually being agreed to: — Hours of work, not more than 48 in any one week or more than 10 hours in any one day. The hours of starting work shall not be before 4 a.m., except on Saturday or the day preceding a public holiday. Working out of the prescribed hours shall be paid for at double rates. The minimum wages ah all be: Foreman baker or pastrycook £4 per week, journeymen £3 10s. All wages to ba jjaid weekly. When an empJoyeo is engaged in the actual work of a foreman he. shall perform tho work and take an equal ah are. of the sponging. Two journeymen must be employed before one labourer can be employed; not more than two labourers in. any one bakahoruse. A iobber shall be paid not less than 13a 6d a, day of eight hours. Tho wage 3 for apprentices were fixed as follows: —Fret six months 15s per week, second 17s 6d, third £1, fourth £1 2s 6d, fifth £1 ss, sixth £1 7s 6d, seventh £1 10s, eighth £1 12s 6d. -The period of apprenticeship was fixed at four yeare, with three months' probation. Tho claim with regard to female workers was referred to the Arbitration Court. *