CLAIM FOR NEW AWARD

Chronicle (Levin), 31 July 1948, Page 5

CLAIM FOR NEW AWARD

Press Assodation)

Court Hears More About Bread Indtfstry

(Per

WELLINGTON, July 30. The Court of Arbitration, after a hearing extending three days, reserved decision in the case in which the New Zealand Balcing Trades' Employeps : Industrial Union of Workers, applied for a new Dominion award. Before the Court closed Mr. Justiee Tyndall, president, asked Mr. A. A. McDoliald, advocate for the uiiion5 whether, if the. Court made an award, members of the union would abide by the provisions. On reeeiving an ans'wer' in the affirmative, his Honour said he was glad to have the assuranec as had it not been forthcoming the Court Would have been within its rights in refusing to make an award. Asked by his Honour to enumerate reasons for wanting Saturday baking, Mr. C. H. Thomas, manager of Walter Buchanan Ltd., Auckland, who'resumel his evidence today, said they were: — (1) To give the public proper service; (2) The weekend period with no bread was too long a period. (3) With a fiveday week the pressure was too great. On Fridays when 3U to 40 per ceut. oi the week's bread had to be produced, there was difficulty in coping with the output. (4) The saving of lj hours' ordinary time at present worked on Fridays. Mr. F. C. Allerby' (employees' representative on the Court ) : Could there be a liouse to house delivery throughout New Zealand ? Mr. Thomas: It is a question of costs, if a timi already has the plant, it can lo so but it is a verv different problem when trucks have to be bouglit at today 's costs. At this stage Mr. W. E. Anderson, representing tlie master bakers. said that as the result of talks during tinui orui ng, the master bakers were willing to offer a special payment of 10s wliere men worked 011 Saturday. His Honour said Mr. Anderson had used the wonl " strike " several times during the hearing and he would lilce .1; hcfir him deline wliat he considered lie terms of the present award. Mr. Anderson said the award allowed employers to work a 40-hour week spread over six days. Ihe reason the Lauour Department had not taken action when the men refused to work on Saturdays, was probably because they had difiieulty in deciding between a 5-(lay and a fi-day contract. As the resuit of the hearing he hopcd all diffi culties would be straightened out. 1 11 reply, Air. AIcDonaid said every .vitness with the exception of two vomcn, had agreed that the workers had worked an S-hoiir day. The ordin .i ry hours of work had been exhausted oy Friday night an.l the emplovers hau asked the men to commit a tireach oi the award by worki'ng Saturday without over timo. With an 80 per cent. extraction of flour, it would be iiiqiossible to produce good bread. Air. A11 derson had suggested that the men wlu worked- on- Saturday ■should rcc.mve 10s a day whereas the award provided timi ime and a half should be .paid for Lli 1lirst four hours' overtinie and doubh time thereafter. The vast majority oi iiakeis today were oliserving a 5-da> week. His Ilonour: Do vou consider that lie people are not sulfering an incou . eiiience through catin'g stale brcud? Air. AIcDouald: No. The nut rinicin s still there. l'ersonally I prefer stali trcad. His Honour: Then vou consider the nferior quality of New Zealand bread s due to the 80 per cent. of extraction .f flour and not to the iive-day week.' Air. AIcDou'ald: A'cs. Uontinuing, Air. McDonald said that .f custom were to be taken into con ideration, the eitiplovers had rccog liscd the 8-liour day for many years. His Honour: Has your union. sinci he making oi- the last, award, couiplioo .1 th its provisions ; Mr. AIcDouald:. Yes, your Ilonour. ■ The -Coui'L-feserved decision.