MILKMEN'S DEMANDS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1987, 18 February 1914, Page 11

MILKMEN'S DEMANDS.

WAGES SIUL IN DISPUTE.' A sitting of the Conciliation Council was licld yesterday before Mr, I*. .Hiilly, Conciliation Commissioner, to. inquire into the dispute between tjie Wellington Dairy Employees' Industrial Union of Workers anil the employers, of whom thirty-eipjht have lieeii cite;!. Tlio assessors for the employers were Messrs. H. Bodley.'S. G. Cole, and A. Guy, while the union was represented by Messrs]' R. VbbcJ - ,. P. "Joat, aiid.K. Kennedy (secretary). Thp claims of the union have already -befiii fully published, , and they include a. detnitiid for a 60 hour week, with a minimum wage of £3 per week. , Before the. proceedings commenced Mr. W. A. Grenfell, for the employers, took exception to Mr. Kennedy sitting as m assessor, on the grounds that lie had licver been connected with the industry. Employers, it was held, would bo handicapped, if he was allowed to sit, owing to his knowledge of arbitration 'matters. Mr. Kennedy said he was rather'supprised_ at the step taken. He . never put himself down as an assessor without being qualified; to act. ■ Mr. Grenfell said that Mr. Keiincdy had not been connected with the 'industry for tho last ten years. It was desirable, that only those actually connected with it should act. . The- matter was allowed to stand over for tho time. The proposals put in by the. <>mp.layer.s stipulated a minimum wage of £2 10s., for doormen, Btablcmen, and milk-car-ters, and £2 ss. for can tfasliers 'and general hands. After a conference it was announced that Mr. Kennedy had 'decided not to sit as an assessor, provided lie was allowed to'act as employees' agent. Tin's course.was adopted. A counter set of employers' proposals was put m by Mj\ Gronfel! , , as agent tor certain employers. Thece- were in tho interests of the smaller dairymen,' and while not affecting tho wage's, •£3 ]os. and £2 os., 52 hours' work ivas desired, and right to employ youth's perr manentlv at a "dry" ivacso'-Qf. £1 n.er week,_ under tho atje of IS years, f*ut :Opposiiig' the employment of youths for casual work. This ontployment of youths was ono of the points opposed by the union. Sis hours' work oh the holidays named was asked,. as againsi five hours in the.other demands. \ Mr. Kennedy contented himself with putting in the claims of the union, without comment.. Mr. Grenfell followed the same.course, and .tile proceedings were then continued in committee. . • ■- It w ; as later anflounced tlmt nil the points in dispute Hat! been settled, with the exception -of wages, and that will be further considered this morning;