COOKS AND WAITERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 414, 25 January 1909, Page 3

COOKS AND WAITERS.

HELPING A SOUTHERN UNION. FOUR UNIONS MAY FEDERATE. ~ Threefyears ago' there was no organisation among hotel and : restaurant employees, and httie advantage,was taken- of the legis atioii then in; force.. Howevor, in January, 1906 wav M n i g Of , W t f Dgt °- Cooks y ; a iters was held, and the umon' established then had- a membership of- 27. ; ; Since that.date tne-movemnt has. gone ahead, and now,there With St /i° ng mio ? in T c) ? of the fow centres. '11 > I ke.excoptiou of the union' in Dimedin, .these bodies are working un'der uniform con We basis of those now operating m/Christchm'Ch,:and: Auckland, was'drawa up a year ago, and has still another' year ■to run. In bo h Auckland and Christohurch the unions and-the. employers were able, to-agree on terms and consequently no intervention of : the +i Mntration; Court/was .required" so far as the hotel employees were, concerned. In Dunedm, however, the union believes that is now ripe for :an improvement m : the,conditions of labour. . The souS union -is determined that,/ rather-than 1C ceptvan- agreement frainod'; on the lines of it wiirrnFJ' ! V I- in - the Other «*>«, it. will rely on the adjudication of the Arbitratmn Court. A good deal of : correspwdence lias passed between the; Dunedin 4"on and the parent ;body in Wellington on the of coming to term! with : the nnFfe ' + M ? mbera . ?f the local 'union do not regard-their-award as" satisfactory,, and :a-determined attempt'-will be made in about time-to-improve the'terms of the present award, .Further, if is hoped that -Parhament this-session will come .to ' the rescue, and.-mtroduce special legislation 'in ■the .:intercsts;'of hotel workers: similar to .:.chose ruling an Australia. ; ■•■/..■ 10 •W'St' ll6^ 01, '^ 66 of Mese: facts,'the sbcritov ? +W 10! l h - as ad 7 is - ed the Du secretary that it, is not ' n' a position to 3 ra ba d n?On t0 SXliich wpiuu,; be small improvement oh'its m : ° fficia!s * &• -wdihngtori Union'will visit Duneclin this week with the attempt of the unba a settlement /in' Court. Por.some-tame : past endeavours have been £nW's»**i e the employees : 5 $'f oa cond.tions, equivalent ■• to . about : S.W?.;>Y?I .ngton,award,, This:*as-nbtbeen'' -considered..sat.sfactory.' Even before S - rom,We lmgton was -obtained the-Dunedm ; .AVhen -a. set tlemont-has , 'been /arrived at : m ■ Otago a .move; will be' made towards federating' the four, unions, and, following this, ■qftorte wil be directed to, the. organisfng of .country districts. It-.is, howeverT'felt that' 'branches in/the 'smaller ■ to'.vris will .be Blather- difficult/undertaking, b"! :statts,..and the city unions will have a.:.di--taonal ,burdens,,-tp- bear : until the yoim fe er 'branches-.becqmesumciently.strong' to earrv ;on independently. .There'is. a general feeling that, an:.officer.;:.will i be .required:to act' for the whole. of-the.Cooks'anfWaiters'Unions, and to travel.to all parts' of, the Dominion on their, behalf, / : \ •■■'. '.'■ ."■ . -