PLASTERERS SCARCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1273, 31 October 1911, Page 8

PLASTERERS SCARCE.

A SIGNIFICANT EXODUS,

At tho present moment plasterers arc cxtromely scarce in there are onlv about thirty plasterers available in'the city at present, and tho services of every one of them arc urgcml.i required to help to carry out the gieat deal of building work that is going on m Wellington. But this number lias tins week been reduced by about half, so Iliac master builders expect to be delayed considerably in getting their contracts through. , , . , . Lately the Plasterers Tjnion made demands 'on the employers for an. increase in hourly wages from Is. .d. to Is. Ml. (the highest award rato m any ot tne other centres is Is. Gd.). The cuipioycTS met the union representatives at a private conference about ton days ago, but nothing was agreed upon. A. lurtner conference was suggested, but the employers intimated to the men that tliey were not prepared to grant an increase of wages, and that no good purpose coulc bo served by the holding of another conference. This ended the negotiations, but on Friday afternoon a number of the men asked for full payment to date, as they were entitled to do, 110 notice being necessity, and on Saturday morning some ot them did not return to work. The fact seems to be that tlhey are in command ot tho situation, and that they can take up or leave work pretty much as thc-y lite. There is more than enough work m Wellington to keep tliem all employed, ana also there is a strong demand from tho country for plasterers at rates ranging from 2s. to 2s. 3d. per hour, borne few of those who throw up their city employment on Friday night have already left for the country to take work there at tho higher rate, but most of those who have stayed havo homes 111 Wellington, and the country work is mainly on small buildings, in which there is work for plasterers only for a week or two. The plasterers in Wellington are under an award. It is true that the award expired 011 December 31, 11109, but the Act provides that an award remains in force until superseded by a later award, or until the registration of tho union is cancelled.' A Dominion reporter sought to obtain a statement of the union view of tho position from die secretary, -Mr. E. Kennedy, but that official refused to say anything on the subject.