MINERS CLAIMING COMPENSATION

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22521, 1 October 1938, Page 11

MINERS CLAIMING COMPENSATION

APPEAL COURT TO FIX BASIS OF PAYMENT

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELXORAII.)

WELLINGTON, September 30.

The Court. of Appeal heard argument to-day in the cases of J. Jenkins v. Glen Alton Collieries, Ltd., and A. Wilkinson versus the same company. These cases were referred to the Court of Appeal for its opinion by Mr Justice O’Regan in the Arbitration Court. Jenkins and Wilkinson were employed in the Glen Alton coal mine, and by the terms of an agreement with their employers worked five days a week and were also liable for work at ordinary rates of pay on Saturdays, if required for special work in connexion with the development, repair, or maintenance of the mine. They were paid the daily rate. Both were injured in the course of their employment, and during the period of incapacity received compensation calculated on a basis of a fiveday week during the period of 12 months before the accidents. Jenkins worked on 29 Saturdays and Wilkinson one Saturday. In view of the liability to work on Saturdays, if required, Jenkins and Wilkinson claim that compensation should be paid on the basis of a six-day week, and the defendant claims that work done on Saturdays is overtime and should not be included in the full working week. The Court reserved its judgment.