CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16854, 7 June 1920, Page 2

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

clerks' mnoir.

A Conciliation Council met on Friday afternoon to discuss matters in connexion with the reccntly-lormcd Clerks, Cashiers, and Oilicc Employees' Union's dispute witii tho Gas, Freezing Works, and Agricultural Implement Makers' Companies. Mr W. 11. Haggei presided, and the asses-' sors were: —For the Union, Messrs E. 32. Do Rago and R. D. Martin, and for the employers, Messrs R. C. Bishop, F. Doverill, and S. L. Cordery, with Mi- F. Cooper as agent.. Tho Christchurch, Ashburton, and Timaru Gas Companies were specifically cited, and tho Union's demands included any person engaged in any capacity in connexion with any iorm of clerical work receiving money on orders for goods, and meter reader is to bo deemed an oiiico assistant. A senior is an employee who has served more than five

years, 38 hours to constitute a week's work.

time in excess to be paid for at timo and a half rate and not less than Is per hour. Tho wages asked were:—First year sen-ice, £1 ss; second, £1 12s Cd; third, £2 ss; fourth, £3 2s 61; fifth, £4 ss; thereafter £5 10s;

casual hands 3s an hour. Weekly half-holi-day, customary bank holidays, and two weeks' annual leave were also p.skcd for, and other clauses dealt with, overtime, tea money, preference, and other usual items.

Tho employers' counter-propo3al3 were that the award ehould to workers employed principally in clerical work, or to those who are in rcccipt of not more than £300 per annum, hours to b© 48 weekly, or ten daily, time and a half to bo paid for overtime, at not less than 6d an hour; schedule of wages to bo for males and females respectively, as follov/3 :—First year, £1 and XI; second year, 253 and 235; third year, lifts and 303; fourth year, 35s and 355; fifth year, 45s and 4Ca; and thereafter 75s and 40s; holders of matriculation or Senior Civil Service passes to receive 5s weekly additional, or 10a for a pass certificate in commercial accountancy; casual labour to bo paid not less than 25 per cent, above the usual hourly rates.

it was decided that tho meeting should form a skeleton award governing tbe three industries. The freezing companies might desire a separate agreement. The Union agreed to the exemption of men earning more than £300 annually, also that a ejparato clause shoiJd govern motor readers.

After retirements both by the unions' and the employers' assessors, the employers mado the following oiler, which they declared to be final so far as they were concerned: — Males—First year, £1; second, 203; third, S-.3*. fourth, 40s; fifth, 60s, plus 3s bonus; p-nd over live years' service 80s, plus Gs bonus. Females—First year, 203; " second, 255; third, 80s: fourth, 355, plus 3s bonus; over four years' service 40a, phis 5s bonus. Extra to be paid for thoso securing tho certificates referred to in tho employers' original ■ counter-proposals. _ After further negotiation it was decided that workers in their fifth year of service shoi'ld b? -paid £2 12s per week, and that reals' seniors over 25 years of age ehould reccive £1 4s per week, plus C 3 per week j boi-it:. A working week of 4S hours was agreed to, the statutory half-holiday to bo observed, 1 and tho maximum number of hours to to worked 011 anv one day not to exceed nine. Claucei providing for preference to unionists, hoHdnvs, and under-rato workers wero also agreed '-a. S