COOKS AND WAITERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 838, 9 June 1910, Page 6

COOKS AND WAITERS.

TRIPLE INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE.

The industrial dispute between the local licensed victuallers and the Cooks' and Waiters' Union will come before the Arbitration Court in Wellington next Monday. There are technically three disputes connected with this award. In tho first placo tho Cooks' and Waiters' Union filed demands with the Conciliation Commissioner, and a council was duly constituted and sat, but no settlement was arrived at, and the case, therefore, comes to tho Arbitration Court. Secondly, tho licensed victuallers filed a dispute, and cited the- Cooks' and Waiters' Union. This also was referred to the Commissioner, but ho has not yet reported on it. Thirdly and lastly, four oyster saloon-keepers have instituted a dispute against the same union of employees. This has yet to be investigated before the Commissioner, who has stated that he will bo unable to fiz a date until after his return from Auckland. The present award applies to licensed hotels, private hotels, oyster saloons, restaurants, and tea-rooms, but the claims to come before lie Court on Monday apply only to licensed hotels, cm•ployers In thti other allied trades not having been cited by the union. It has been .held that if a new award relating to licensed - houses is granted by tho Court, the existing awaTd as a whole will be thereby annulled, and tho. other establishments will be left without any award. Some or all of them, it is further held, will then come under the provision of the Shops and Offices Act in regard to hours of labour. That is to say, tho week will consist of 52 hours as a maximum' for all employees, with narrow limitations as to overtime. Tho award allows male employees to work 65 hours a week, and it would appear that it is mainly. with . a view to retaining this provision that tho oyster saloonkeepers are taking action. Their statement of claim embodies the following scale o£ minimum weekly wages:—Where three hands are employed; Chef £3 55., second JE2 2s. Gd., others £1 7s. Gd. Where two hands are employed: Chef £2 155., second .£1 12s. Gd. Where one hand only is employed (male) £2 ss. Pemalas: Head cook .CI 155.. others £1 ss. Kitchen and pantry hands: Males £1 10s., females £1 2s. 6di, oysteropeners £1 155., waiters .81 155., waitresses .£1 2s. 6d., half-time waitresses 12s. fid. "Any employer may at his option provide any worker with suitable lodgings, and if he shall do so tho wages of such worker shall be reduced by ss. per week:" Other clam*", provide' lor tho omploymcnl of female probationers as waitresses and for casual labour. The hours arc not to exceed 65 per week for males and 52 per week for toinalcs. Any work done in any one week in excess of these hours is to bo paid for at (ho rate of time and a half. Meals are to bo free to omployees during the time the premises are open to tho public. A preference olause is included, and the whole is intended to apply only to Wellington city and suburbs. Mr. Daniel O'Connor, private hotelkeeper, lias been nominated as assessor for the employers.