ARBITRATION COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 158, 28 March 1908, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT.

/ /r;,v TKH CAS STOKERS' DISPUTE. ■■■;»,■ - . The Sittings of the Arbitration Court were ,: :,? «Biuned'yesler<by<>inorning > ''.'Judgo;Stm..&nd !,/, Messrs. 1 S.-lirown (employers'' representative) . " :anci "J;- A;- MfCullough'.(workers'' represejita-.-tiy-o) ~takmg their, soats at';lo.3o, o'clock. . Tho. dispute between tho Gas Stokers and WorkersVand tio -Welling-- . .. ton GasiCompany..was-heard. y ;■• ;'Mr. l ' lloardou f .appcar<xl ;oli.,behalf of .-tho: - : Uniony- andi Mr. Birch'for the/company, i': ! / THE,CASE FOll THE UNION. ' :Mr; :'Reardon,* 111.outlining! tho caso - for vstated- that ; thovUiuon claimed • a the' hmirs; at'present -ruling, viz, Morning;- .. Gi-'till-.l;; afternooiii'l.till Uj'.night, 0 tiU'o; An--increase m -the ;rato of wages to lis. for -/ ordinary Stokers,'• and.'l2si>for- : leading stokers was'demandodi i-Thoiiground 'on .which tho . . . claim; was .based- was that, tho work-'was--uti-- -. cleaji, unhealthy,: and ■ enervating. Hundreds of stalwart men went-to;tlio works, but they it. ; L'oadmgt'stpkersTwerejpaid ,10s;,' and ordinary, , stokers; Os'. 3d, 11 ThV workers -wanted -tho, re- - - cognised/ holidays, -and claimcdv that- work be paid for at.-doubl6 timo rates.At present, .•;■> .tho;mcn-receivod s a work's holiday annually. ATteniasinium''^number of retorts'to;be""drawn.; ;. - - • shift./ should not exceed •r:..eighteen- each-,-stoker.-/./ Two shifts';sliould / bo worked Avit-lu tho- elevators (one night- and ■ orio dav. shift), v Wages should bo^aidVweekly ■ -in cash.', Th.6.employers; should provide ac- ;...'; : ctfmmbdatipru;''to;;-tbe;;satisfactipnf the iln-. /v ;i l^ictoritey.}^-Thero .wpr.p/a jhundred * work'eqJ;;and*thprb;'was^^bn]y t pnb.cliangoVropm : - and. bathroom, whioh were in a dirty state. /. He'';.(Mr'.. : Rpar"dpn) ;;cpu.ld;;6orifideutly.'submit" if.tliei-membbrs..bf.'-tbbf.Coiirt;.visited: the] ;. ■. .works all .the-claims of the Union would bo granfe<l...i, ..Pi eforeilco ; had'M)een given prev Court, and the pnvilego-had not been abused ' AN UNHEiVLTHY, OCCUPATION '~■ Dn;;Couisensßeposed- that ho -had at' tho' 1;- /.- Union^-;paid;'a/ visit ;of.'inspec.vtion'/te/tho/workL' Ho found that the atmo-, ~'- . ; /■ .warniy 'ahd.that: * noxious;.gases -wwQjpres^uti/nTho conditions v. , ■ .W6rojßiichj.asj.'\vonld - to ,sot up bron- -. t a prie!feThp i bathroom'; and ;pidco.Vfy / w; '-: vmeals,.wof.o. nptj; ■ clean,-:and;might.bo .much' Bipra • comfortable 1 , GWE UP.THE WORK ■ '*• 1 i-' 1 'vi ; - / James^SacJilier;;^ ; th'o sevehVmonthg'ia,S;;a,'stbkex-'^>H^

: 'ho Vv-as/siiftering-.from','muscular ; rheumatism, / {which -'his : (ixietiiqair'a'dviser:'-liii(j >' stated,'-'was ■;, ;bpirigV\ required " to' go 'out 1 ; -.; 1 Hi^ehest:'was' ; :h IJle first ,-r; v ,> ; tbK^ploy^entNthiwtoK foiii'jmbnthsi/Vi} I - r > ; : • AThomas- lßgerton/ foreman at ..\\4Tks, .;- v. -in ;byiderice, stated ■ that '''..-'(;.;.o>inpany! ;' ■ ; -; irigi!stekereJ3jid\9s;;'.BU.' : ." stokeh j. \veret,reasonable;:.-jThoi ,: number! of .retorts, <' asked,- by :the -.Uiiion. in the first place /was : : .twenty-y -,a v fair- : number.- ' ... :-m -:, Grpsstexami,n'ed, ; 'witness -:statetl I' that . .lie -' ' had.forked at'gas;works allihife -life/.'and.did' : • : ''-Tiid^cbrisiawHKo%conaitibTO , 'MhealtHy;«-^ > t'''' I THE PRICE OP"GXS ! ' ' < Mr. 1 . Birch,'; at. this' stago, statod that, lie -• but," he addedy . tho: landlords; were s the :only iX)rsons who cot the benefit . , Jlr.tf Brown .(tho ,employers'.;-representa- . . tivo) tiv.l.-don't - think so:• ,M:hen.. the post of .building - is * taken > into ..consideration,: it is. doubtful i;'if-.'they., receive. *V th'eir'.j money.? speak with a 'considerable ■ . smpurif-'of I •'•' j '.'J ln*'replyvtorMr;:;Browtt,- Mr/-Birch stated - -.vthat'jtherb^hadi-not'.ibceii^a;deoreaso<rin;,tlie prioo of-gas-for'three years -Mri'Brown; -Well,-I-reckon-.it is timo.there was -another l ' Mr: Birch:rHow,can-wo afford to roduco the-.- 1 price.ViWhen. ithe.V.cost vof.»produetton'>is - : incfeasing' "" , v■; ■, Gontmiiiiig- r , witness , stated that-a propor,- , . tion '.of' tho. mon had" to bo -discharged for ': : breaches occiipic<l V: -by^the; : mM : ;w6i:e:'clearied"; trat-ireceritlyi':but : ;YH':were;vjust^asdirty)' a^feyc^aysi'afteTwai-ds.'; 1 », ' WAS A STRIKE MOOTED? ' Richard 'ij'ayzoj stoker, - and ■of Unibn, . deposed that, trousers-lasted him six weeks, boots,, eight weeks, -flanncls i \ and Jorie : month , llr; Birch Was anything said at any of striking? J -. ,/■ Witness Ht-o - t-ho-. Court); 'Am; I> compelled i to answer that auestion' , ■ Hi§ -Honour: 1)p. •you.'.objcct? - ;.11 , . v Witness ::;Yes;!i)'i:;i- ---• HisHonourWill tho Union undertako to -do all: in its power to ■ prevent- a strike ? . < - "Witnoss: les; it always'has donejthat.. 1 \ 1 ,

A DISCREDITED WITNESS. -' George' Sinimonds,. secretary,to dip Union, . t deposed-.ihat; ■ in "his -'opinion;;:the cost of living liv Wellington had gono up/30 per cant, i einco 1806' , ' ' v.i Judge- Sim :: It/13 simply silly; to-, ask the •.« • Court to. bolievo tljat. - It-shows; that your ■ evidence.- is;. Utterly • valueless; • you ; ... i don!t >know;;what: you are , talking, about, or | ■>> you.aro swearing. recklesslv.'",:- ' i • v Subsequently Hjs Honour remarked, to Mr. | i EearJon:,,l'ou should, not;• put a witness like ■v / that, into the boxsuch evidcnio only throws discredit,on tlio whole' of. your case. . 1 Mr.- Reardon : J - I \did :not know that ho X::; would; .• ■' AVitness furthW stated question of, & strike was mooted Among'the men, but dis.Murag^Jby^tlxe. i 'biuc6rs''V6f''tK6'> - tji}i6n.''!'' ! -. ;^ : 1 ,'..' Evideneo was. also given by John Fairmau, '• end John Hu'liry. Nesbit-.; - A -' - > •' THE EMPLOYERS' VIETVS v ( , :;; behalf i?of- th'o : etaj^d,-^inter;., tho'- claims';ott- tlie' Unjon : 'were::-iiot;.'dispiited. : >!, Vl'ho;.Company, n employed .230* ha;ids;-',of,.Whom about .thirty, "/were-affect'ed'by^the'pre^ent'proceeding?.v,ft . > was deriied' thatxthe'occupation, of; gas stoking i-; was; aniunhealthy>o'no.-;.. i were i vacancies plenty -of applicants came forward. •: Tho number 'of hours was not objected to; ■ but : thft Company -'did :not agree to .the .upeci- '• fication ;of .;the: h'ours : .by, tho Union, ' its circumstances, niight/arise 'at 'ahyi,time.-to necessitate -an' alteration. The employers' 'con-1 • sidercd ; that- thov rates iof - wages.- demanded wc-ro.-unreasonably, high: No ; objection was ■ . tho'/ matter.'.of .-holidays/;.' but the, i . could'.yn'ot agree; to'., pay ; double ' taiii;\,. on" Sundays, :;-Tho proposed 'reduction- . -in tho 'number-.of l; retorts..to ; bo■ 'drawn aiid » 7'. .charged'by a worker shift was'objected to.. ,rho employers; wero' l agreeable to -pay wages .weekly• He disputed tho. statements thiitvhad been inado, with 'reference to tho , accommodation, i/U :ono time tho men'\r.ed —to l <ee P their ohingo' room scrupulously :clean. . It \vay his. opinion; tlu\fc thoi nicn wero not 6o cl('an in-their., hab'itq-'aV.'-tH ey-lused to bo.' : ," The.employers- wore,- ho; stated /in conclusion, vin favour, of the prcieronce clause m tho : Canterbury award.-• - . 'Evidence -was;;not teridereil- on behalf of the employers. , ' • ■ i y> "- : .\VHITIS : SLAVES IN .WELLINGTON" / Mr. R?ardon, in ronly, -urged:'that Mho f, elaims of: tho : Union- should- bo granted in - their,'', entirety.': ' He hart .hiftiself paid a visit . of.inspection to the Works, and all ho could so.y;was\that heaicl a.'lot about tho ' , white;: sla.vos : of-.Engl^iid,:hilt :itj.was '.a fact thill ,theio wero also whito slaves' Jij. Wellington. . • . v/ ;;v' ' The Court stated that . it, would 'take tim'o to consider its decision. .' ' %/y V'i':v >:< -./". r : ELECTRICAL WORKERS' DISPUTE. - :- TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT \ ONE POINT UNSETTLED ■ :^o.parties to the -Electrical; ( -"\Vorliers' dis- ■: putef intimated..^that an 'agreement' had been arrived'.at 'ori : in' dispute 'except-. . jng;the question as to overtime. :■ ■ r v ; - Mr. ! ißeardoii stated, that the Unifiii- ob- . jectcd ;to' the proposal .of thpipmployiirs that . ,'weeklv^Avages;men' : shijnld ba froni tho. provision relating to overtime. ■

; "Mr. Grenfcll pointed out-that 1 the weekly ■v/ago .men Were 'paid' for holidays. The Court stated - that it would take timo to consider its decision.' : . : .-The /.agreement nmkes the. following- provi.sions'i-^"'"-'-' '■ : ;1 " .'.•'vV-'/T.''- . :FiUers.~Ele(\trical fitters''work shall mean and shall iiicludo the. construction, erection,, installation,' . and . repairing /pf' eleptric light and eleetnc appliances of all descriptions. . OVirenieh;—Electrical, n'ireiheh's work shall mean and shall include the complete installation and'repairing ot electric light from the point of supplv and wiring for power purposes,, etc. Nothing 111 tho award shall prevent erection, .construction,. or- repairing .by, a shieclianical:.engineer.or.a .worker.employed, to attend,'to;a running. p}aiit or; switchboard. I -AVagbs.—Conip'oteut;..electrical,- fitters,, shall be, paid, not. less than ds. 6d., per ho}ir, and compe.tent ivire.nien- not. le?S; than. Is., 4d. per hour;. ; .. .-. .. . .... . , - . r .Oyer.time and Holidays'.-rAll..oyert,imo shall' bo paid for at .t.hc rate of time aiid.a quarter for,: tho first . two hours' and ,timo .-and a ' .halfthereafter.For time ''ivbrkcd, on. Nciv Year!s Day,, Easter; Monday, Labour Day, and, the birthday of '.tho reigning Sovereign, .time and a ; half shall,■■'bo. paid/;. For .' time vworked'.pii CliristmasjrDay, :'GoodVFriday,.'akd. .Sundays double ,-titno shall-be paid... 1, Hours.—Forty-five, hours - shall .constitute -'a' week's .w.orkv - -The .working "hours shall be between the - h ours, of 7 .iJO a", m., arid. 5 p.,m.. 011. five-days of/the week', and'bptween the hqnrs bfv-7.3fca;mi'raiid,npon on one, day of-the week t, Suburban ':i ,;,Wprki— , .work; '/ meahs'..wdrk'performe'd' byia \yo'rker,at -a dis:. tance; of'.'bvcr. .two ,mile.s from, his employer's place'of'busiuess, : biit - whicli 'doe's -not come within tho .definition of " country . Workers shall be it their employer's business" at..tho' hour," for,tho commencing -'of' jvprk,, bufc';,if ■ prevr'iously ■ 'required, they iliajl prppeed'directly,'to/"the -placo,where' .is.' -to, foe; perfpfnied;. and :if . tho^: distance,-, to ! bo : traybllctl''.'shall r bb. ! -'moro!';tliaii; two', miles. they;; shall; be.' paid ■ , ratp''.bf. wages'.-for/ the' tiine/occupied/ reckoning r tho' -time occupied at. tho rate ■ of (four- ,railo3 ; ;'an ,hourlV.v' V;■ • Countrv, Work.—" Country v.'oyk ",; mean 3; ;ivork' > performed j'by-; a .'worker. .which/ rifec'essi- ! , 'tdtes Uiis./ lodging elsethbre fthani,.his. .-'usual placo oLresidence.A ...wprke'r employed ..upon;; country '.work shall' b'o icpnvey.ed. to -,and; from such' work free; of charge, or expenses shall bp paid,;,lint, once .only'; dp ring the cdhtinuanco/'or/the -'ivorki'.if/thb' work; is j . continuous,} and ,tlip,' worker.' 5s ■not' in the meantime re,called* by' his, emplpyeK- 'The em-. , .pleyer'Jshair provide ipvpry.i'.wei'ke'r, einployed , 011 country' "(york :^ ; ith.;boarfl ..and; lodging, . or. pay£l- per .week extra... .Timo,, occupied.-in. travelling shall be paid, for at ordinary,rates,: biit.: no . .worker . 'shall • Jjo; paid; niore ; than', an. ordinary day's, pay for any day .occupied, by, I hiin : ./iri\'travelling,; unless Ton "the. same. 'dayworking for his employer.:- An employer, may agreo with h- worker: employed,011 country. : wprk , that'such i wpr!ver .sliall'-Tvorfc'-; }/.', Assistants.—iTho.;.proportion of : assistants shall ;be one to every lourneyman or workulg Employer. 'J'Mypty','assistaiit,.;'after;./.liavxng worked not- less, than three years -at tho. trade, shall.; bo-deemed >■ to be. an r.improver. >1 At;tho'.termination;'of.-..-three-'ysara, ,tlio'.assist-1 ant. * shall l '-rcceivo',a;;certificat'b; showing.ithat;. he ha,s .served' j pr.j; : if,.dispensed i->yiji]i' ; pr6vi((U^lif,t-<i' •certifidate.-.'fo/r'Jthe 'tiine/'actiK , aljy.'s'Qryedi certificate''shall, eiititle''the .assistaht.. : tqiP,!i^rient\b'y^ of .tho wages herein provided for.,.assistants;,'-. •Eyecy.; ■ : ari: .shall:,;teiich', liim.,'th6: tyadp.'as;carried ;on '.by. ithe ; erii'ployer. l ;/The folloiyirig-.,, shall-,, ()e ..-t,hp; ,minipubi"rates; of''.wageS-for/assistants i-T-For-/ ;the,.:fii'stsy;ear,';7s. pe'r, wee]t;.;for ,tb ; oVsecpn4 ■year,. 125.. per. week; for: th^:-third^year,,;,2()s.. per-; week;;.-' Any. assistant} >v-after c-^wbrkih'g-three yearsT may be .bmpjosod, a<s7%j at. not less'- than- 9d.'-;per,,hour. for--thp rfirsfr twolvo months, .and . Is.;,'per houri/ipnv'-tlip'; , second;--No;improver shalhpo employed- where, ■less than>/two<journeymen ;i»re'ompljsyid.'.--1 isplaced in charge-of work ;.on three or; 1 w-iremen, onfittcrsTarp enV; -.gaged'' shallTi.-'.in >ddi'tipnto' ( ythSy;;o'rdinary wages, receive Is; per-day;. - 'M-'-'fyi Under-rate Workei-s.-frCpurt's' usual ! claus6.)|

Preference." of^'Employment.f— I Courtis .usual; clause, book' to' bp kept . at' .offices 'of' the Wellington. Employers! Association. " : proin.de'"'their;"em-. : ployeesv- wltli ; ; sblcjeving b.olts;:conduit, 'fitting' tools-; metal, pots,, lamps,, and files. .. i .. v -/W-c ; ;1 Battery Work.—Any employee, while working at .instilling. or overhauling .storage t bat; iteries,- ' shall';bo;paid .1 si .per' day,'. in' .addition-' 'to tho' minimurii wage.., ' Scope of Award. —This award shall bo limited in: its: operation to the area included within-a. radius of . twenty miles frqm the Chief Post Office in .'WellingtonI.'--.1 .'--. -':;• v . ; Term :bf./Award.—The term of . tho award .Shall bo two years. . . -Tho' City; Corporation-. ■ arid'.- Johnsonvilla, Electric Light and 'Power sjCompanv :wero 'exempted; from thp provisions relating to; liours : ; : of'.' work;' the Harbour Board was oxoriipted'from.the awai'd, : 'except in-.tlio case pf new iustallations; and the Gear' Meat' Coriir pany/proyided they, pay award rates, THE DRIVERS' DISPUTE. A MUTUAL SETTLEMENT . COURT TO FIX THE WAGES l-AVlion the Court resumed ;yestoi'day afternoon thb 'pai-ties .to thG-:drivers';dispute jn-tiimated-that an- agreement had been arrived' at ; in -' regard ',lo' all;; tlio) .clauses -X'scepting the-brip relating' to wages,'" which;-it .'had been agreed}..should' bo left to;the-.Court-without; comment. ' - • -'A ■' '{'?■ Following 'is -the substance.rof the 1 agreewliich thb'iC.burt .Was'" asked to make ...into an'award after, it:has: : settlod.;tho. quo's-' tion of wages:— --)U V. : :■ V. ' r l/xc.ept;-.i\S otherwise' j.47}-hours, ' exelu'sivbof-.. tlib; _ necessary: •' attenda'rico V ;to horses, shall.;coiistitute."a week's',work; tinio .to ; inplude;time,occupied iri going from !.and' -Returning tb stable; working hbiirs to. latdd -.by. "en'iployei: I -.t-ipie;. worked; % beforb,: 7; 'a.m;-'or' after; 7; p.m.,.' to :bo considered over': time:;:' The liours of clrivcr.s of'.aerated water 1 ; arid cordial:' vehicles' 'aro;'.to";be 45.' hours .'per ; ■ week.'frbm <April to -October.iriclusivb,. and i)6;'hours -for.; other :nipnths.;J.vAii'ho.Ur, - if, feasible,; is to be allowed tor dinner. • • The employer ahall provide each . driver, •■with' a tiniebbbk.' The pmplbyer: shall, within 24 hours,..jiavq' tho. tinio verified: and the, book,initialled. . . : • :■.i j ;' ■ Employers .'aro at) liberty to, omploy; youths above tho ; 'age'; pf 18 years', 'according to ; the following scale From 18 to 19 'years, ■at £x; 10s ; :. per. .week,.; from: 19 .to ,20- years; at.' £1.155; Full wages',: unless field; ■to. comb under'the/provisions of this' award relating to underrate workmen. The numberof youths. so ..employed shall not: exceed 0110. to each employer employing 0110 driver, and 0110' to each complete five additional drivers. The minimum weekly wago prescribed abovo shall:lib: deemed to - include, ntteiidauco to horses on Sundays, week; days, and ljolidays:'' . Overtime shall be. paid at the rate of Is.';3d.fper" hour.. 'All wages; including,over-. 1 timej," ; shall 'bp paid weeklyj .in .civsli, .on, a .day t'p bb'.fixedvin advance by the 'employers - :In all stables where 14 ; or irioro liorsesaio kept tho employer shall provido n mail to keep';the stables; clean . and'-'mix tlio feed; Tho drivers shall in turn .take aweek on.";to assist him. Uiiloadiug feed wlionoccupyr. irig 'more tliaii a .quarter of an lioiir, 'arid ■washing vehicles are not to bo deemed,neccssarv attendance nil horses. Clauses 14, 13, and 17 of thn . present _aw.ard ' are ' to; staiid save' that-' .tho word laundry" is to be sribstituted-.for '.'bakers." , regard to.employei's re-, siding ..at'V'Petone and the. flntt, laundries, hotel-keepers, 'drivers attending'to early and late trains and ste.iiners,. tho hours of labour shall continue to be .an stated in-the award, but those - employers slinll li avc the right to arrango'these 'hours'.to s.uit their respective .businesses," 'overtime-' to' be - calculated only upon'the) number of-.hours , worked in'each' week in excess of the 471.

Omnibus proprietors, shall bo exempt from the provisions of the award,. providing a week's, work shall consist of not more-tlinn 5G houfji .jnclusiyo of,.tho necessary attoiulancd to', horses'. The minimum wage'.to'bo paid to omnibus drivers shall: not bn less than.'sos. per': week, or 325.: per week- including board: and lodgings.

Omnibus drivers shall bo entitled to one week's holiday on . full pay for each year of service;' the date of holidays to bo ar-

ranged ..by the employer. ' Should .1 worker, leave "his . employment b.eforo completing .1 'year's scrvi'co 116 shall l)o"' entitled to 0110 tln.v-'s pav for each statutory 'holiday- oil which lie may havo worked 'during his period 1 of service. ~ : Special.- provisions -arc made .for drivers' employed Lamberg, Kilbirnie; : Preference is granted on the .usual-terms.-The LlllOll is to. keep an employment book •at.,.the office -of ..the- Inspector : of Factories, in ..Wellington, and .at I'etond-and Lower I-lutt.. i,,.' .. This' award is' to come. r into force on April 6,,1908, and will remain up to April's, .15)11, and'will .'.continue in forco. until superseded .by . another award or, ■ anindustrial agreement.'- V ■,-;, . y .