FIRE BRIGADE DEMANDS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1780, 19 June 1913, Page 4

FIRE BRIGADE DEMANDS.

WOULD ACCEPT SYDNEY AWARD, Inquiries made by Mr. E. J. Carey, secretary of tho Wellington Fire Brigades' Union, go to show that tho formation of a local union has lent impetus to a movement for general improvements in tho conditions of employment in brigades in othor centres. Mr. CaTcy has received information ,to. tho effect, lliat .the, Auckland mon hayo been granted an increaso in tho scalo of pay, as from July 1. Tho oxfcent of tho increase is not yet known. . By mail yesterday, from Sidney, copies were teceived' of the Now South,, Wales Award governing tho employment of firemen in tho metropolitan area. Tho conditions granted aro considerably in advance of tho conditions obtaining in Wellington, states Mr. Carey, who instanced the case cf leave. Under the present arrangements men in tho Wellington brigades get only cloven hours' leavo ill the full week of 168 hours. In Sydney tho'mon aro given full leave for 24 hours in every week, and, in addition, got an extra six hours' leave overy week. Tho existing conditions as to supply of uniforms and quarters arc not interfered with in tho award, but provision is made for a weekly allowance of Bs., in addition to tho prescribed rate of pay, in cases where married men aro required to livo away from tho stations. In Wellington a probationer-fireman receives only X 2, but tho lowest rate in Sydney for firemen starting in tho brigfido is fixed at £1 ss. Third-class firemen receive ,C 2 Bs.; second-class, £2 lis.; and first-class, JE2 14s. Extra payments aro also made for service away from tho usual station of the men, and other concessions, applicable probably only to the largo Sydney service, aro mado. Tho Sydney award as it stands, except with regard to' conditions peculiar to Sydney, would, it is stated, be accepted by tho local men as a satisfactory settlement of-the existing Rriovances. When particulars aro availaulo as to tho rise now to bo given in Auckland, and when tho mon liavo had timo to finally approve of tho demands provisionally drawn' up by tho union, theso domands will be submitted to tho City Council.