REDUCED WAGES.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17420, 3 April 1922, Page 12

REDUCED WAGES.

FOR COOKS AND STEWARDS. PEOPOSED BY UNION COMPANY. i A big industrial dispute pending is that affecting the cooks and stewards in. the employ of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. The claims of the Federated Cooks and Stewards' Union for increases in wages* and alterations iu working conditions were recently published- The stewards are seeking a rise of £2 per montn, and cooks over £3 Counter-proposals have now been riled by the Union Company, which proposes a reduction on the present rates of pay. A Wellington "l'ost" reporter was informed on Saturday that the wages suggested by the company are equal to a reduction of £4 10s per month on ruling rates. The wages ottered by the company to stewards per calendar month are as follow :—Second steward, £ll 10s; chief saloon steward (head waiter), £10; steward in charge of second saloon in vessels in. which three classes of passengers are carried, £ll 10s; first grade assistant stewards employed either as bedroom stewards, saloon waiters, printers, or buglers, if acting as either bedroom stewards or saloon waiters, bedroom stewards or messioom stewards, £9 10s; forecabin steward, £lO 10s; second-grade assistant stewards, employed either as assistant forecabin stewards, boots, maindeck stewards, officers' stewards, or assistant pautrymen, £9; pantryman (either saloon), £lO 10s; second pantryman (where three or more pantrymen are carried £9 10s; assistant steward (cargo), £9; nightwatchnian, £11; cadels, under 17 years, £4; cadets, 17 to 19, £6; cadets, 19 to 21, £7 10s; saloon stewardess, £7; assistant saloon stewardess, £6, forecabin stewardess, £7. All overtime is to be paid at the rate of one shilling an hour, cadets (id an hour. . The clause regarding hours of work at sea provides that these are to be curtailed as far as is reasonably consistent with a due regard to the comfort and convenience of passengers and the, efficient upkeep of the ships. Hours of work in ports (not including sailing day) shall be eight, exclusive of meal hours. . . Holidays proposed are Christmas Day, Boxing Day New Year's Day, Good Friday, and Easter Monday. If any of the holiday-! be spent at sea, then the stewards are -to get a day off ashore at the home port -within a month thereafter, or receive an extra day's pay. Various modifications of present working conditions are asked for by tlie company, which also proposes the abolition of preference to unionists. The receipt of "tips" from passengers is to be banneu, and it is suggested that the holding t-f "siop-work" meetings or holding up of ships shall be a breach of the award. '"lhe secretary or omer officials of the union shall not go on board any ship or hold meetings on board," the company purposes, "without first obtaining the written consent of the employer." It is asked that the award sliall operate for one year as from March Ist, 1922. Similar conditions are proposed torcooks, except in regard to wages, winch are set uut as follows-.—(a) Passenger steamers: Chief cook (intercolonial and foreign-going), £lB per calendar month; chief cook (other than intercolonial or foreign-going), £l6 10s; second cook, £l2 10s- eitra second cook, £ll ius; third cook, £9 10s; extra thir' 1 . cook, £8 10s; ship's cook,. £l2; assistant ship's cook, £S 10s, baker ial and foreign-going) £l4; baker (other than intercolonial or foreign-going), £l3 • second bakei (where three or more are carried), £ll; assistant baker, £IU; butcher (intercolonial and foreigngoing), £U 10s, butcher (other than intercolonial or foreign-going), £lO 10s- second butcher (where three or more are carried), £10; assistant butcner £9, scuUeryman, £8 10s. (b) cargo steamers: Chief cook, £l3; awwtaflt

cook, £8 10s. 'Overtime is proposed at the rata of one shilling an hour.' The dispute will come before the Conciliation Council at Wellington on April 18th. and assessors for the company wilt" be: Messrs W. Smith, industrial superintendent, A. Naismith, shore superintendent, and B. A. Young, stores manager.