HOTEL WORKERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1643, 9 January 1913, Page 3

HOTEL WORKERS.

CLAIMS FOR NIEW CONDITIONS. "WHAT JUSTIIICATION? " JIEI'iTING WITH' EMPLOYERS. ■>"The'' : of■,the 'application of -the Wellington . District Hotel, Club, and ~ E«staurant"A\r 6 rk£!rs'"l ' Urii6n .'for revised conditions .of employment was; discussed at tlie meeting of,tiie Conciliation Council, which was held yesterday,- Mr. I'. ■'Hally^CpnciH^ siding; '-There -;were .present:'/ Messrs.: J. Beveridge, C.' E. Aldridge, and 1\ J. Oakes (employers' assessors) j 'Messrs./ T. .Long,, of Auckland, and G:. Marshall,' of Wellington ' (assessors) for thoMinion);. -Mis;i W. AV Grenfell; .(employers'/representative) ':and E.. J. Ciirey "(union's;:representative).v-Jj-v -v Shortly ; expressed, ."the union's • claims were for/an increase, in .the wages of the lower;g;rade Employees, and for casual employees, .a wider scope'for the operation of the preference clause, and for the engagement:, of. workers through the' -office of thV: union,] acting as a kind of, registry office. ; ;Q,v>-,v-•Vfho employers .posals to the effect: J (a) that the demands of the union .be to; (b)•. ■ that the expired award be.; renewed. for a fur-; tlier period,vwith the. exception of Clause :i, for which should, be substituted: a' proviso" that hours of work and' holidays shall be tiiose provided by ; Tho 'Shops and Offices Act,' 1910. ■ j. . ■ : Tho:Gonciliatuon. Comraissioner read the list of employers ijcitedjfcand -inquired -'.if any objections hadibeeniraised!'- The reply, was m'tlfe ; negative, 1 and' the, commissioner expressed;-:,thc.: ;hope ';' that. ,the ( business might - ba": satisfactorily, -of An ; a very brief.period. V A Hint From the Court.

presenting tliß'counter.proposals "< f ;the. employers,: remarked, that .'the.^employirs.':considered-: that';.there -was • no. .'justification/: for/the' union's 'demands' :for;revised ;: conditions. Workers had ss/cured/a of hours—tantamount . ; to'i.ah':,increase/.in: Wages : -rto : :62"for''malc I and/587 for :feniale workers. '■■'. This was :a. '■•ihaterial-'-i'edjictionVVaiidvtHcr? : :.had''.'J)eeri, absolutely / ho: change, in the /of this particular employment since -that •reduction/was made';/ .The employers, took, their /'stand "iipon/ '■ the ; . direction 'of V the! ;Pi'esident':.;6f;;/the''/ ; Arbitration' : Co'urt/' i as expressed hi; his. decision' in ro, the .Gis-' .•.Loi'jie- ; Painters', ':■ and: Decorators' J Awar(l . (Book* of;: Awards, Vol. 10,. pp. 191), - when *his/ ; Hqnour''said;: >ii-/ /' : /// .'■,';.• ;'.'■•:-.■

t;V : "Fi'-im :what; lias been.-said l>y .the, : ' theO unioir ; at 'tlie'' .Shearing, ;ho . appears to ~ think wfthat".ijybecause',,..the ..'-term'.fixed .'.by. tho, last: award., has ••• expired,' JS.itf-is ;the,idiiiy ;.of: thei|Uhioii to ,appljv' l : lfor..a>"ettV'awanL ; Asjjthis. idea is nut ■; uncommon;- it' : is..desirable to say that • j; is imposed .upon' unions, i. and'quite-' a .mdstate to-suppose' that' tho' function. of • the .Arbitration ;:.-Court isjto-'go on'endlesslyrevising the ': : ; conditions; of.; a .particjiilar indush'y.j Where: an ihaustrylhas. bean .before > "*V.?.'tllo-'Gdiirf'itiivb:-6r'tlir.ep. : .tinie&,''aiid>'its' : l' ;">i coiulitions.'invcstigatecl, the last award-: settling, 'v. Jtlieir!. c'onditiDiisy.. andli any " alteration.'.' :'.!onlyV'.Lo:;'inad(|. , ';bn'v clcar i.aiul .definiteproof:.that:;.tfere<' lias been ■■ a., 'in tho' circumstances , -liWard,;vi.as made. 1 ' These'remarks .may?. .to .all/. i twb^or-': ='i three VexbanUonsy/.'lnyMnnectionfwitli; -J wh'iclithe .Court has iniade two' or. three,'.

l; :JL'^p.;;:: '>-.' 1 ;":' ;j;;' ;;'':'; ; "Much 'expense ; aud;t disappointment--' ■•}'.\nll-: Jj'e:fflTOidSd\if;■■ tlije'.-.ox.eeutives of}' .vtha':union's will '. : - i'j.w6:ihave,'said,;and"if,'(ibefbre : : originkt-., ; dispute;- t]iey;>ill..ascertain'that:./' iVthere'is isbnie':definitei'and,: reasonable; -i ' ; iVßr6nnd':lor->a"skirig: , ;='*iyi'the terms ;ftwili.irMojiii^Jh'ht:'.Ttiiihout"Sbmo L '£■ tjoii.-V; [•?•"'; .JiAj;?;'■'!•> ilpS'i@;i ,: 'i'"^''^'?i $%i r>!-; p?^4^°' ; S'^¥ ; '^ : ' ,;i Mr.' Carey; in : reply,;remarked,;that, the; ''ganisation,:and was v quit©',readyrto'adrait |that~during' --.that ;.time; jthe;: conditions; of, 'cmployinenthadiappracMiWy. improved. On the'question.of hours. ..was •prapared-'to; leave '/to 'ths.iLegislaturo .IKelidcteriiunatioii : of/jWfafc>« , as: , 'a'-fair 'thingV : in; ; th at; respect.' -ij-Whafcthey-: now asked, for/was/ an .advaipce -in'the '.wages; : of :■ the,'poorly-paid gradesof'workers'/aiid ttVfulUr preference thaijbva's, possible'iin'der the clause'of the.prejjiousawar.d.,With regard'lto thei'engagemeiit'of, workers.Mr.: Car'ey.;said'that'it.'was jihown; by-Depart-. ii-ent-aj.'statistics;tliat'bl?twten.'i:3.ooo and 'SdOflp was'paid : into.priy;ate registry; offices by' hotel 'Employees' 'annually, c-he 'contended' was'' a : ; tax .'upon the 'workers, and;'could :.be , pbviated : : if;, engagements coiild.ie elTected'through .'tjie:office'of ;the unipil .-'■;■;•.■ He r hoped' /thatv the. ;,employers ;would .meit.:the :.imion.;]bh;.thesp "ipai.nt«.; ;^cy. - hadV.bMn';:tnrncdjjdomi : /flve''.ti.Tres, and 'they ; 'iiad;ii'ow. -come/ along, to Jondea-. !v'dur' to se^ire'for'.the'VfellirijtoiVcniploy'oss.some;,of the batterifconditions .which obtained' iiv'btherVcentres ;,fbr' the same: kiiid of labour; > Wellington;, was; the .'only. centre J where-.the':, worker's 'had found,; jt; necessary-'toVgp to' the/Arbitration'Court; ;fbr' : a/settlement', of Vtheip'gK<ivanoefi.- : ; In b.ther/.'centres::;they,,; had; effected'; settle-;monts,^nthout-\goiii^to['the!: Court. ;';;•:; C» V vWhat justification ;l![ave : .you':for 'pro-■ sentihg proposals P"i asked ;Mr, BeS-cr-iidge;;t -:i':r.-: '-■;,. ■''::. "(,''' : :?.-'- y . ■••.'//; /; '/.'■-•'"/'' ;; /."Ourjustificationj'.'i.snid-Mr,, Carey,,.;"is,, "that the poorer-paid: workers are, still get'anivour,.and the highest.paid, Gd.',..:;,.;''; ;.;,,',•.: v.'.V'rhe,union,slwuld.be able to show.there; ' has.boaii soiiib changevin the condition of theVliotel Hrade," .faid'.'Mf. .Beveridge. ■'They■can't' I say ''.with' any 'degree-of ,;as- : .suraiice ; .that;.the/lrade. here, lias-"gone. ! ahead.'since the,i:last/-award;: ,li^it'-liad, there might \,ba Jsonio /justification'v' for. .thtSifipplicatinn. : 'Look what /is; hanging ■■.over 'our: heads,"':h'©:; continued;- "in ~the proposal for ;'n,: six-day 'week:. by ;Actlof Parlianidnt.': ;lf granted: ;now, and the Bill: pops' through,"we;snail; aIL-'ba in;'the sbiip;together;" v ■•;'■';■• /;.;;//;■; '.'.-Mr... Grenfell, again referred Court's ''direction ,in _the .Gisborna; a'ward; and remarked that; the hotel workers Md ■not 'submitted any real* grievance. :>'■'.- .'. ■ Mi'; Carey;Eaid lhat: tlio.iinion.liadiuone its ■utmost 'tb;foll6w ;the, direction of the Court.'-and 'had'.te.eh'Jloyaly to' the award. 1 But .were tha ''workers;' to •. cease \ fdr pll timo .llieir. efforts to 'better their conditions. b:cause. the .Court.had'dealt .witlr ■tlioir'-.'cnse?'-'.'- -'/ '-;■' , . .'/;.' '; .Mr. Beverid'ge: : You-can't say you:hav6. been loyal to the: .-'award;- ) 'When tlie last, award was inado.'ypii went'to the.Legislature:to.get the: hotel-keepers put; under the Shops and Offices' Act.;;' '' • .'•'The Court itself decided that-the Legislature: should c'sal/with''.tlie'hours.":

'That. was afterwards,'l.cpmmcntcd ..Mr. lieveridge. .;"Imm«liately' you :had. got nil you could jfst fi-oiii' tho.Court you: hustled off to the Lcgislntura anil got. uiider tlie : Court."'. ■ ' " ■.. : An ''Apostasy." ;• Mr. Carey-'remarked' that it- would-be an apostasy. on tho' parti of \ tho union to. refuse ■■ lp '-"try ■ arid get benefits from the Legislature.: Mr. Longs-Miv'Betferidge surely doesn't think tlmt the last- word has l>:eu :said about .the conditions .of tho hotel workers in Wellington!" : ■~. . : i:"-Mr. Bcvprklgo remarked that if the ho-, tel business had been as good 111 Wellington as ill Auckland, tho matter would ; 1)2 different: Mr; Carey said; that there 'was a thousand a vcar increase through the hotels 'changing hands; The minute a .imui v bought a hotel, lie had dozens of offers to buy him out.. "Agents," said Mr. Beveridgo.v "What about the. unfortnnate : man who buys and c'an!t niilko a.'do?"-' - ■■'>' ."I've never heard iof-an insolvent,hotelkeener yet,"- said. Miy Carey. ' "X.' luivo'- one' in- iilind now," Raid Mr.' Grenfoli, adding r. repetition of Jli', lieveridrfe's remarks tllnt tile union liad gone ' behind'-the Coui't'; to : the'.Legislature. .A "'i'luit'. is a gro# misrepresentation, and a 'gross mis-statolnent," exclaimed': Mr. C-irey; \vMhily..ins l 'nsr to l>is feet;' 'Tho. Bill was 'drawn-'up' long;before we,went to.tji'o '■Court., If-' this:.is conciliation,.' well tiiid Mr. ; Ciii:ey sat: (ln\Vii : with an expression 'of. di-gu?t. on his'" feature?. "1 lie 'Coti: fcr.W. ,rtbout. >y," lie added. Th-3 Proferonco Issua. 1 Oa th.q auestion of Eteferenfio, Mt. Be\>_

; leridae dissented from* a further: extension of jtlio clause. ■■■•■ ! /. "What about Jluntly asked-' ;Mr. Carey. "Tho employers have asked for it, foV their own 1 protection." ' .' . : ''.That is a different matter,". said Mr.; fie'raidgc. "Hotel workers are part; cf the liousohold, iiiid. coine; into touch wits the guests. You must allow tho employers; somo ■ .'.freedom/ here, -They sleep oath ,> promises. ./•• .//;■ J>fr. : .Carey.; said that the. union, contemplated soiiio system whereby the hotel servants; , need/. not sleep in . tlie hotels. ."But .you inust ngvee " lie sald, to 11 r. men-'and'. girls/crhployed are; a line stamp." .■ | ' Certainly, I. do," replied- Mr. Beveridge. .. "T.liey are /a Alio .staiilp'.''.' ; At this stago. tlie council, went .in - committee. Very, little progress -was made, and the,proceedings wero subsequently' adjourned till. Monday,-next. \'-v.'>■: ,