Departmental Workers Get Wage Increases

Chronicle (Levin), 15 July 1949, Page 7

Departmental Workers Get Wage Increases

Press AssocidtionJ ; " : 1

(Per

WELLINGTON, Juiy 14, : . An increase in rates ofGpay of 2^d an hour from July 1, 1948, aud a fur- ' ther increase of Hd an hour for trades- . men, first grade, and ld an hour for other workers, from June 1, 1949, has. . been decided upon by the Government ? Service Tribunal in five orders dated 1 July 14, 1949, prescribing rates of pav - and conditions of employment for ' workers employed in various Govern . : ment Departnients. Rates of pay for ^ tradesmen, first grade, of 3s ll^d an hour from July 1, 1948, and 4s ld from/ •June 1, 1949, and iabourers 3s 4Jd an hour from July 1, 1948, and 3s 53d I from June 1, 1949, with intermediate : rates for a wide range of scmi-skilled : workers, will nppjy. / The Tribunal comprised Judge,- Sti)/i well (chairman), Mr. E. Casey' and/-I-Ion. R. Eddy, M.L.C. .Applicant for - tlie orders was tlie N.Z. Workers ' ? Union represented by Mr. L. C. Hair, general secretary, while respondent was"' the Public Service Cominission repre-t sented by Mr. B. Hope, industrialf officer. The' Departnients concerned ' are Lands and Survey, Marketing/ Maori Affairs, Ministry" of. Works,'l State Forest Service and State Hydro-/ Electric. : The orders provide conditions gov i. erning the employment of approxim-' ately 11,000 employees. engaged in. uanv occupations of national import-J: ance such as land drainage and develop-. ' uient, food storage and processing,. cohstruction of Maori' houses, 'highway and road uiaintenance, establislinfent and' .naintenaiice of State forests, hydro- c electric dam construction and felated undertakings. An agreement -vfas reaclied by the parties in prior ne'gotiations e'xtending ' over three nionths on all inatt.ers at ' ssue coyering a wide yariety of /pro- ' isions including au increase of siiift •illowance of 2s , 6d, double time jates for time woil&tf fyetwoeh HO '.p.hi/ aiitl 0 a.ni. except for ghift wojkers, auieal allowauce of 2s 6d, an increase' ? n certain tool alTowances, the welding'; allowauce increased to 2s a day, the ■'coimtry worlc" allowauce increased to 7s a day, and certain penal rates lor time worked on weekefuls and liolidays. ' : At the liearing Judge Stilwell coni- t nented on the good relations which:, •xist between the union, departmehts' '. uid Public Service Co'fiimission and'-' ilso complimented the parties on the"j ueasure of agreement reached. , He. 1 thought it. was a landmark in indus-:/ •trial conciliation iu State sorvioes.