A FULL SETTLEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1692, 7 March 1913, Page 5

A FULL SETTLEMENT.

i ENGINEERS' DISPUTE.

THE OVERTIME QUESTION.

PREMIER SUPPORTS THE MEN.

WHAT THE AGREEMENT MEANS.

t When the parties to the marine en--1 . gineers' dispute adjourned their confer- , enco on Wednesday evening, all Mailable ; information indicated that another short ' sitting would bring about a full and final V settlement. This prospect .was realised ' .'yesterday, when, at, a short forenoon sitting, the Union Company agreed to grant to its New Zealand engineers practically the conditions of the Australian award. The Hon. W.' F. Massoy (Primo Minister) presided, and the representation of 1 the two parties was as .on the previous day, except that Sir Jos. Mills' (managing director) was added t'o the number of tho Union Company's delegates. THE OFFICIAL REPORT. The following official statement as to the outcome of the conference, issued by agreement between the parties to the Into dispute, was obtained yesterday from the Union.Company.--"A conference took place this morning between the representatives of tho Union Steam Ship Company and . . 'the Institute of Marine Engineers. It was held in the Prime Minister's ! ; room, Mr. Massey presiding. "It is understood that the engineers had some timo ago made demands for increased pay and other privileges, • the 1 intention being to their pay and privileges into -line with thoso ,/ enjoyed'by the. engineers in Australia '. -under a recent award of the Arbitration Court there. . "The company had already agreed . to concede the Australian wages, but • demurred at tho payment of overtime, proposing in lieu thereof a fixed . supplementary - monthly payment. Mr. ~ v Massey. Upheld the engineers' claims in'regard to overtimo, and these were ' therefore conceded. ;. . "The engineers wili now work under the Australian award as regards wages, overtime, and other privileges, the difference between the conditions in New Zealand and Australia being now • of a very minor character. ) . '. "The conferences between the Union • Company and the engineers have been of a very friendly nature, and there is every. reason to' believe that the amicable relationship which has always existed between the oompany and ' ' its engineers -will be undisturbed." fMR. MASSEY ON, THE CONFERENCE. The Prime: Minister, on being approachi ;Wd last'evening, declined to make any. de- ! . , :tailed reference to'his connection with the ..-settlement of < the Marine Engineers' dis- : : jpute, but he remarked that nothing could ibavo been, better or more gratifying than tie perfectly friendly spirit with which itho' members of the conference approached the exceedingly difficult question with jvhich they had to deal.-.

On one of the lowest-paid steamers in tho Union Company's fleet the old and new rates will be as under:— Present rates:—Chief engineer, £21 s second, .£l6; third, .Cli. . New rates:—Chief engineer, .£22; second, .£l7 10s.; third, ,-Cla 10s. New and old rates on the more important passenger ferry steamers approximate closely to those on the intercolonial passenger boats. OVERTIME. The all-important question settled at yesterday's conference was that of J overtime. Hitherto New Zealand engineers hare received no overtime. They have now been conceded the Australian award rates, and will be paid for overtime at the rate of 2s. 6d. per hour. Practically the' only <liffcren.ce that will now exist between the Commonwealth and New Zealand ovekime conditions is in regard to Sunday duty. Tho Australian award provides that when a vessel departs from one of the principal ports on a Sunday before 10 p.m., each engineer on duty shall ba entitled to an extra day's sea pay. The representatives of tho engineers agreed yesterdny that this proviso should be omitted from, the New Zealand agreement. THE AUSTRALIAN AWARD. In-other respects the Australian award conditions relating to hours of work and overtimo payment will apply in their entirety to New Zealand. These clauses read as follow:—; . The time of duty in port or at sea, or partly 'in port and partly at sea, shall not he more than eight hours in a day.' The hours of duty in port shall be between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. This clause docs not. apply to chief engineers, or to vessels having fewer than three engineers. ' For all duty (other than shipkeeping or emergency work or stand-by. duty), over the time of duty or (in port) outside the hours of duty, an engineer (other than a chief engineer) shall be entitled to overtime payment at the rate of 2s. 6d. per

THE NEW AGREEMENT. As soon as it has undergone final revision, the agreement between the Union !.Company and its New Zealand engineers will bo registered -under the Arbitration •Act, and will thereafter be enforceable aa an award. The term"of the agreement ■will be three years, which is the maximum period permitted -under the Arbitration Act. The rates of wages paid under tho Australian, award, which, henceforth ' will foe the New Zealand rates, and the "rates Which have hitherto been paid in New Zealand are shown, in tho following .fables;— •, .... Monthly Rates Under the New Agreement.

Fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth engineers, £12 a month;.

A COMPARISON OF SALARIES. (In the past' the salaries of Now Zealand marine engineers have been based upon indicated horse-power, the record of the actual performance of a vessel's engines. Henceforth salaries, as under the Australian award, will l:o based upon nominal horse-power,, which is arrived at by calculating the dimensions of a steamer's cylinders. Indicated horse-power is a variable quantity, according to whether a vessel is driven at her full normal power or under it. In the past- New Zealand engineers have suffered a reduction in salaries where steamei«3 have been habitually driven at less than their normal power. On tho other hand, where ,a steamer is habitually driven at the top of her speed, engineers are recompensed by increased salaries for. the extra work thus entailed, when indicated horse-power is the basis for salaries. In adopting the .Australian plan of computing salaries on nominal horsepower, the conference was influenced by | a desire to reach a uniform system in Australasia. Under .New Zealand law tho manning of ships is based upon indicated horse-power, and this, o£ course, will ptand unaltered.

Although, as has been stated, the new agreement will give , Now, Zealand engineers an increase in salaries o£ on an overage about fifteen per cent., tho amount of the increase will,vary considerably in different grades. .In some cases tho increaso will be only .CI per month, in others £1 10s. per month, and in others £2 per month. Following are particulars of tho present and new rates in vessels of the class indicated:— An averago intercolonial passenger steamer: Present rates: Chief engineer, .£2B 10s.; fecond, £20; third, -£15 10s.; fourth, Xl 2 10s. New rates: Chiof engineer, .£32; sccond, tE22; third, .£18; fourth, ,£ls. A high-powered cargo steamer (intercolonial trade):— Present rates: Chief engineer, <C 25; second, .£l7 10s.; third, .£l4 10s.; fourth, ,£i2. . ; New rates: Chief engineer, ,£2G; second, .*£2o; third, .£l7; fourth, .£ll. ■ ;

For shifting ship, a chief engineer on duty shall bo entitled to extra payment at the rate of 5s per hour of duty, and other engineers on duty shall >.be entitled to extra payment at the rate of 2s. Gd. per hour 'of duty. The time of ishifting ship is to be reckoned from, tho'time at which the steam is to bo ready. • . ' If a vessel have fewer than three engineers, then for all, duty in ,tlie main .terminal port of the vcSSely if'iand so far l as' tihe hours of duty are in excess of 56 hours, in a week, the engineers shall be entitled to overtime.payment at the respective rates aforesaid. In shipkeeping in any of the principal ports between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. the engineers shall be entitled to the sum of 10s. Except with his consent, or where there are fewer than four engineers, a chicf engineer shall not bo required to keep ship. 1 Except with his consent ,or where there are fewer than five engineers, a second engineer to keep ship. | Experienced engineers who were spoken to yesterday expressed the opinion that ..the result of the adoption of a system of overtime payment on New Zealand steamers would bo that overtime wouid be reduced to a minimum. This, it is slated, is exactly what the engineers desire. Sir Jas, Mills will leave for Dunedin this evening. COASTWISE ENGINEERS. The engineers employed on the' New Zealand mosquito fleet—tho smaller coastal vessels—approached their employers Some time ago and presented demands for increased wages,and improved work- ; ing conditions. Several conferences took place, but' eventually the matter was adjourned, by mutual consent, pending ix settlement botween tho Union Company and its engineors. This haying taken place tho coastal engineers will shortly again make representations to their employers. It is not expected that any insuperable difficulties will arise and probably'an adjustment commending itself to both parties will bo arrived at in friendly conference.

Nominal Chief. 2nd. 3rd. 4th. horse-power. £ £ £ £ Under 100 22-. 174 , J5J . - .Under 150 23. : 174 '• 155 • — Under 200 ............ 21 19 IB — Under 250 / 2(5 - 20 .17 11 Under 350 28 ■ 20 17 . 11 . Under 450 30 ■ ' 21 18 15 .XJnder 600 ; 32. 22 18 >5 Over 600 ■ 34 22 18 15

Present Hates in New Zealand. Indicated ' Chief. 2nd. 3rd. 4th. horso-power. £ £ £ . : £ •Under 500 ............. 21 18 ,14 "• - 501 to 750 22 16) 11 - 751 to 1250 23 16) 11 - 1251 to 2500 ......... 25 17) 11) 12 3501 to <1000 ' ......... , 26) .19, 15 12 4001 to 6500 ; 28) 20 15) 12) 6501 .to 10,000 30 20 16 . 13