UNIONS AND OVERTIME.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16724, 6 January 1920, Page 4

UNIONS AND OVERTIME.

j APPLICATIONS BEFUSED. Applications were nvado lo the A/bitrntion Court on December 4l)i. 1919, for tl»o nmendniont of awards regarding ovcrtimo by tho following iiiiiori3: —Canterbury Ran;»e> Workera, Canterbury Motor Mechanics, Canterbury Engineers, Canterbury Mfetal Workers, Canterbury Tinamitha iiDtl Sheet Metal Workers. Canterbury Electrical Worker?, and Canterburv District Boiler Makers. The judgment, which has no-w been filed, is :i* follows: —These .ire applications made by this tespecli'-e unions concerned, -under tho War Legislation and Statute Laws Amendme::t Act. J9IS. for an amendment of several awards by deleting tho existiug provisions-as j to pavmout for overtime and substituting tho following clan*c: —"All tho time shall. l>e computed on the full time rate." The ground ) npnu vrhioh tlio applications aro based is stated to l>c "tho 'grent dissatisfaction among members that the roto of overtime is rcduccd to flat rate, while tho coat cf livintr is increasing." In tho ocinion of tbo Court the i j-inuii-l put forward for tho amendment asked i v doe-j liot rotno within -the provisions of lhe Act. The Court has already fixed ba*i<s wages for the workers covered bv tho au;>rd. and in addition has granted thejn bonuses which oompei.sate them :'or the increased cost r f living. ur.d which will be increased from t:mo to timo i:i conformity vntli anv further increase in the cost of living. The rites "lied for overtime are quite :r, dependent of I'jo rise ar,d fall in tho eo-ji of living, and the computation of the payment for overtime was inter.ded by the Court (as explained in it« original pronouncement on thia subject.) to nc n:»fj» exclusively of tl:e bonus. The applications, therefore, are refused.