BETTER THAN STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1904, 12 November 1913, Page 7

BETTER THAN STRIKE.

CARPENTERS' WAY. DOMINION AGREEMENT MADE. While other workers are in the thick of industrial warfare, the carpenters, through their national representatives, have been very differently occupied. A big step forward was taken yesterday in the direction.of obtaining a Dominion award which will govern all the carpenters working in Now Zealand. The ouly unfortunate feature of tho present position is that the Auckland carpenters are out with'the strikers, .but it .is hoped that this fact will net permanently injure tho good understanding which has otherwise been arrived at by tlio carpenters and their employors. Tho question of obtaining a Dominion award has been in train for some time past, and representatives of both sides liavo been quietly working to that end. Months ago it was' arranged that advantage should bo taken of tiio fact that tho builders of the. Dominion were to assemblo this year at Wanganui for thoir annual conference, to definitely face the .question of framing a Dominion award. A conferencc of tho parties was held at Wanganui accordingly on Thursday last. Seven builders mot as many carpenters, tho Mayor of Wanganui (Mr. Williams) presiding, and the foundation of an agreement was laid. It was decided to adjourn to Wellington in order that the sorvices of the Conciliation Commissioner. (Mr. P. Hally) might bo obtained as chairman at a conference. This was held yesterday, and was in every way successful. An understanding was' arrived at in regard to. all the essential points of a Dominion agreement—wages, preference, hours, and so forth.

The delegates attending the conference were; —Builders: Messrs. W. H. Bennett, A. Campbell, A. Wilson, W. L. Thompson (Wellington); P. Meuli (Wanganui); J. Lindsay (Dunedin); and J. H. Maynard (Cliristchurch). Carpenters: Messrs. E. Kcllett, Jas. Ross, G. Blatherwick, AV. H. Hampton, W. H. Wilson, F, A, Moody, and W. Boveridge. Wages and Hours. The rate of wages agreed upon was Is. 6d. per hour. This is practically an increase of ljd. an hour on the common minimum rate at presont in the Dominion. The Arbitration Court naa of lato been bringing wages in the different branches of the building trade into line. • The conference recognised that this is unfair to carpenters, who have to keep up heavy kits of tools at considerable, expense, whereas tradesmen in other branches are freo from tins oxpense. Painters, plasterers, and biicklayors use vory few tools, and most of the tools used by plumbers are provided for thom by their employers. Carpenters, on tho other hand, have to bear the wholo cxpenso of providing a varied assortment of tools and keeping thom in good condition. . To a great extent tho increase of ljd. an hour in wages is intended to counterbalances this expense. Tho hours of labour, under tho agreement are 44 per week. i Preference. The preference clause' is the same as that embodied in tho Wellington Carpenters' Award with ono excoption. Vi' hen a builder employs a non-unionist ho is to notify the union of tho fact within threo days, instead of within twenty-four hours, as at present. The non-unionist- so employed is then to havo the option of joining the union or giving place to a unionist of equal competency. Tho employer is the judge of competency. This is practically tho standard preference clause which has been formulated by tho Arbitration Court. Apprentices.

As to apprentices, it is provided that they may bo bound either by agreement or deed of indenture. Apprentices' wages are to bo increased by 2s. per week, starting at 10s. por week, instead of Bs. In addition to this,, if an apprentice attending a technical school obtains certain certificates lie is to receive extra remuneration amounting to 2s. per week. No machinery exists for making a Dominion award by u single act of tho Arbitration Court and the procedure followed will bo to put forward the agreement just concluded as the basis for :i new award in each industrial district. Practically the whole of tliu existing awards have been allowed to run out, in view of a Dominion agreement being arrived at. Only such matters as details relating to suburban and country work r>ow remain to be arranged. Tho agreement is to bo signed lit a meeting ot ttie parties this morning.