SHIPS OFFICERS' DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1413, 13 April 1912, Page 6

SHIPS OFFICERS' DISPUTE.

AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. ' PAT, HOLIDAYS, ETC. (By Teleerapti—Fresa Association,) Dunedin, April 12. Twelve months ago,' Jlr. P. Hally (ConJiliation Commissioner) commenced to hear a ; dispute between the Merchants' Service-Guild and the Union Steam Ship Company, tho Iluddart Parker Company/ tho Westport Coal Company, the Blackball Coal Company, and tho Maoriland Steam Ship Company, in regard to general conditions of officers of vessels of CUD tons and over. The'conference was adjourned from timo to tinio until when the commissioner succeeded in arriving at an agreement which will be sent to the Arbitration Court to be made into an award. The agreement is practically on tho lines of the Australian award. Iho principal matters in dispute were an eight-hour day, overtime, and wages. Tho agreement provides for officers of vessels of GOO tons and over being employed eight hours a. day, to be paid lid. an hour overtime- if employed over 50 hours in a -week. .Tho annual holidays are to be increased. Captains of passenger steamers and tinic-t.iblo cargo vessels arc to bo granted 21 days, captains of other cargo vessels 17 day's, am! all officers 11 days. Captains' aro to be granted. 10s. a day victualling expenses, and officers ss. when they do net have their meals on board. Masters a'' o to be paid as follow—Passenger "steamers, 1000 tons and under, .£2O calendar month; IOOt to 2000 tons, .£29; 2001 to 3000 tons, .633; 3001 to 4000 tons, .£37; over 1000 tons, .til). Cargo steamers: 1000 tons and under, .£25 per calendar month; 1001 to 201)0 tons, .£2i; •7001 to 3000 tons, .230; 3001 to -1000 tons, .£33; over •11100 tons, .». Steamers under 300 tons gross register are not subject to the award. Within 12 months from tho commencement of (lie operation of the award, *a new division shall be added to the.class for passenger steamers over 4 7000 toil* gross "and tho rate of pay shall not be less than Mo. Tho-following rates of pay for-officers were agreed to:—lasgenger steamers: 1000 tons and nndei, chief-.£16, second Xl 3, third (where earTied)' .£ll, fourth and fifth (whero carried)'.£lo; 1001 tons to 2000 tons, .fill, .£ll, ill 2, i£10; 2001 to 3000 tons, .£lB, .£l;>, £1-. .£lO-,'3001 to 1000 tons, .£l9, ,£l6, Xl 3, .£10; over 4000 tons, .£2O, il7, XM, .£10; cargo steamers, 1000 lons end under, J;lb, 0.1-i, .£ll, J310; 1001 to 2000 tons, .£l6, .£l.l, 4.1-, .£10;; 2001 to 3000 tons, S\i, .£M. .£l-, 'fi'O; 3001 to 1000 tons, ;£IS, £15, Al3, .£10; over 4000 tons, .£lB, Xl 5, .£l3, XlO. Time off is to -be allowed officers at the home port. Tho agreement, when made into an awaru, is to remain in operation for three years. It is ;to be retrospective so far. as wages aro concerned. They are to be paid from April 1. Other condition? come into operation on -May 1. . Mr. Hally mentioned that the credit of ljrin?ing aliout the settle-ment-was due to Mr. C. Holdsworth, .Mr. 1). A, -Aitken, and Captain \\atson (ol the Merchants' Service Guild). He believed tho agreement would prove satisfactory to all parties. A sore point with tho officers had been the refusal of tho Court to grant a request tor tho paymenfc. of overtime. That had .been o\eicome in the agreement. Iho parties on tho motion of Captain M .I" 15 !® 1 ] a hearty vote of thauks to Mr. Hally for the able manner in which lie liau conducted (he conference.