SETTLED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1708, 27 March 1913, Page 5

SETTLED.

SYDNEY FERRY STRIKE. COMPANIES CONCEDE MEN'S DEMANDS. , SERVICES RESUMED. fly Teiesraph-rPress Association—Copyright (ltec, March 2G, 8.50 p.m.) Sydney, March 2G. ■•The ferry strike has been settled. Tho, . demand for R'lß-hou-r,week has'been conceded, and tho pay /will remain tbo same as'at-present for a sixty-hour, week. . Overtime will ha paid at the.rate of time . and a quarter, and there is to be no victimisation by either ,side. ; -: ;/

'l'ho whole of tho services were resumed at four o'clock. The city was informed ot the settlement by long-drawn-out cu'ck-a-dooclle-dao whistles, starting at Circular ..Quay, 1 , and taken up in t(irp. by the yarious steamers swinging idly at the | ferry ivharvcs sinc9 the strike commenced; :'The clamour spread and echoed 'roundt.the harbour,for a quarter of an

f The men are. jubilant at tho resumption and the terms of tho agreement. These Jjrpvjde for 98 hours as the ordinary working time in a : fortnight, and one week is not to compromise 54' hours. Overtime to the extent of twelve hours' .'.weekly on ordinary working days is to ■ be paid at ' the rati* .of ..time- and a quarter, nud .on. .Sundays, and holidays the overtime,rate .is time and .a Tialf. Tho otjier, points ha'vo.'been: previously mentioned.' ■' r . . The agreement was to come into force immediately on -flip. resumption; but ani award for' three years is to be; made by the Wages Board.;on tho basis of the agreement'.''' 'Preference to. unionists and , all other clauses usual .in awards for the industry are to'to "included.- ~ Mr. Holme, the ilndustrial' Registrar, acted as'ihtermediary. between'the parties, and' displayed much judgment in smooth-' 'tag over : .tho pojuts. at -issue,- which at times threatened to block the negotiations before a settlement was reached. v;The Sydney, ferries had started run- ;■ ning ii boat iijanned -by : free labour from Circular; .Quay to liaison's Point. 'This caused excitement amongst . the strikers, and led all the ticket-collectors, excepting one; to refuse'duty.'.The attempt,was not Very succossfiil,-the bjilk of the 1 public ' preferring' the Government's free joy •rides. Aa thp settlement came in sight the-cpiMpany Tetreateil': from the field. ,

. • BASIS OF THE AGREEMENT. , THE CHIEF ■ v , 1 Sydney, March 26. ' 'lTiero;aro eignsj of' settlement of the ferry strike. , ; .. ' ■ 'l'Jie parties conferred late last night, v anil the :fqllb^'iiig,bases of an agreement were , , ; ;,Ninety?six-hour fortnight on days other than Sundays and gazetted pub-, lie holidays. '' ; Weekly,pay,to'be thp'same as now , -paid for. a. sjxty-honr, week.' ■ Ovcftime to bo paid fortnightly. , Pay for Sundays and holidays and ■ overtime ,to beat the rate of. time .and- ,. , p Jialf. . _■■■■. I ,':' - Twelve hours to bo tho longest con- ' • tipuous shift on Sundays and, holi-r ,>.' i daj-sr;pa.>n-ordinary, day not less' ~ v 'than -Six : or more than' twelve' hours! All employees to be reinstated. ■ 11.-.TheseI 1 .-.These :terms were.accepted except that pTiividing for a ninety-six-honr fortnight. " The employers substituted 108 hours, but tho >unj onV representatives • rejected the . alteration. "" .'

... The .conference terminated, but will be .! -resumed.. to-day, when Mr. Carmichael' ' places a slight modification before the directors, which/ jie is hopeful will be ; accepted. ; ' . CONCESSION TO SEASON-TICKET HOLDERS, j , ~ /Ucc.,March 27, 0.35 q.n}'.) ' Sydney, March 26. ' The companies advertise that as ft, set-off to the inconvenience caused by tile strike to season-ticket holders they ore extending ,the tickcts over a period t . equivalent to the strike. J .