ENGINEERS' CLAIMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 792, 15 April 1910, Page 6

ENGINEERS' CLAIMS.

PARTIAL AGREEMENT. The Conciliation Council in the engineering dispute concluded its sittings before Mr. P. Hally (Commissioner) yesterday. Agreement was reached on all bat three points—wages, limitation of the number of apprentices, and preference to unionists. ,

The employers' representatives held out for the fixing of the minimum wage at 9s. a day, urging the difficulty of competing with imported manufactures. They intimated that those who were now getting more than the minimum would not bo reduced, and that superior men would be paid according to their worths

The employers Tefuscd to consent to any preplan"" to unionist?, or to any limitation of the number of apprentices, while the workers' representatives asked for the ordinary "Court preference" and a maximum of one apprentice to three journeymen. They, however, finally reduced their demand on this head to a maximum of one apprentice to one journeyman.

Tho terms of the existing award as to hours were accepted.by both sides; overtime to be paid as time and a quarter for the first two hours, and time and a half thereafter until starting-time the next morning. It was agreed that holidays should be as under tho existing award, except that Easter Saturday should be a holiday, but ordinary wages should be paid for work done on that day; and that time and a half should be paid -for work done on Labour Day. '

The agreement is to apply to millwrights, tool-makers, motor mechanics, fitters, turners, blacksmiths, erectors coppersmiths, and patternmakers. Plumbers, brassfinishers, and other tradesmen are to be exompt, except in so far as they do work which comes into competition with that of any of the classes subject to the agreement. Improvers are to remain for a sixth year at 7s. a day. Tho provisions of tho existing award in regard to country work, under-rato workers, and other matters were agreed to by both, aaities. ■ .