WORK AND WAGES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1702, 19 March 1913, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

TAILORESSES' AWARD FILED. ' BONUS SYSTEM. WHAT THE COURT THINKS OF IT. The aivurd of the Court of Arbitration, in tho matter of the New Zealand Federated Tailcresses' Dispute, has been filed with the Clerk of Awards (Mr. E. Stocker).' The award is based 011 tho existing awards. A memorandum, attached, states that thy principal alterations are as follow:—(a) The minimum wane lor journeywomen has been fixed at 275. 6d. per week, with a provision that a fifth year may be worked as an improver at 255. per week; (b) a minimum wage has been fixed for male machinists; (c) •a provision lias been inserted with regard to the payment of bonuses. The Workers' Association asked to liavo the system prohibited, but the Court has declined to do that. It is desil'able to repeat what was said on tho subject in connection with the Christchurch Ironmoulders' Dispute, viz., that the premium or bonus system, if worked under fair conditions, is in the interests of both employers and workers, and, instead of beins abolished, should be encouraged. The objection of tho workers to tho system. in this case, appears to ariso mainlv from the fact lhat many employers do not take tho trouble to explain to workers the method by which the amount of the bonus is arrived at. The clause now inserted in the award will removo this objection and will, it is hoped, help to malte the system work satisfactorily.

ENGINE-DRIVERS' AWARD. Tho Court has also filed' its award in the matter of tho Engine-drivers' Dispute with the employers. The award is based for the most iiart on tho recommendation ot tho Conciliation Co'incil and provides for a week of 48 hours, with vages ranging from Is. per hbur to Is. 3Jd. per hour, according to classification and extra payment for getting up steam. 1 In a memorandum, attached to the award, the Court states that the clause as to extra payment for getting up steam has been recast so as to make it clear when the right to this payment is to ariso. The clause as to filling in time has been struck out as being unnecessary in view of the fact thai the wane has been mado an hourly one instead of a daily one. The clause as to exemptions has been settled by tho Court 011 the lines of the previous award. SOFT GOODS RETAILERS. . ' In the matter of the Wang-anui Retail Soft Goods Employees' Dispute, the award of the Court simply embodies the recommendations of the Conciliation Council.