PRIVATE HOTEL HANDS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2149, 15 May 1914, Page 4

PRIVATE HOTEL HANDS

CASE An industrial dispute, affecting the Wellington District Hotel Club ami Itestaurant Workers' Union, o.n the ono linrnl, and private hotel, oyster sa» Icon, restaurant, luncheon, ten, and refreshment room-keepers on the other, iviis heard before the Conciliation Council .Yesterday, This Commissioner (Mr. V. Hally) presided. The- assessors for the employers were Messrs.. It. E. Howoil. W. Young, W. H. Bird, F. Colder, J. S. Olivor, H. Price. For tlio. employocs tho assessors were: Messrs, O. Thornton, H. .O'Malley, and E, J. Carey (secretary of the union). Mr. W. A. W. Greiifell appeared for tile employers, and Mr. Kennedy for ■the. union. The employees asked for higher wages, improved conditions, autl a sis-days' week. The employers filed counter claims in which they asked that- the existing award be continued. Conditions in Private and Uo&risod Hotals. On behalf of the unioß Mr. Kennedy read and explained the employees' claims. Prior to doing so, : however, ho tailed the attention of, the Commiesioner to the countor-elaiwis of the omployefs, which bad been briefly set out ott. type-written' paper. "If" tins pfcpyers set out their claims lifc& this." said Mr. .■ Kennedy, "then I say that tlio duty' of the council is goitisj to be very hard and disputes will alwuys he arising and never bo settled. I 'doa't know whether the- employers, in stating their claims, \rero short of paper, time, or money." The sppaker proceeded to say that it was absurd for tjio employers to make reference to ait award throe* years old and to say ""those arc our claims." The empteyw's should pnt their claims on paper as {lie employees have done. Mr. Kennedy then proceeded to detail the claims made, by tJie employees. Among other thiugs the union was asking for a slight increase ,iit wages. That increase was on nil 'fours with that granted by ttao Court in the recent dispute affecting the employees of licensed hotde. Jlr. GrentflU remarked, that the fact, tliat aa increase had been granted to tlio licensed hotel employees did not necessarily imply, that the same provisieus slwaM be .ostonded to private hotels and restsurants. Passiftg It On. Mr. Kennedy replied that the private hotels and restaurants were in eoatpetitkm with the licensed hotels, and tlio employees of both dusses of hotels slimitd work under the sam« eontlftions. 'i%e speaker aUo remarked that n« doubt the employers in th.o present UMsputG weald pass any increase in ■wages that might be given to tiro men, on to the public ju-st as the licensed hotels hart dofte. At anvrate the men were certain of gotting" the six-davs' weok from tlio Court, and the employers, as an act of Brace, might pive way before tlio Commissioner on this I point.Mr. 'Greirfell remarked that the employers would not grant the six-days' week unless obliged to do so bv the Court. _ ' (\ Oemittj; to the q«f>stio» of preference Kir. Kennedy said that, in every other place, except Wellington, preference : nad been granted in this trade. • ' ' Employers' Side. Mr. CWfell then replied on behalf of the employers. Ho }iac! r hs said, listened very carefully to Mr. Kennedy 1 tor some indication ©f altered eoftdi* twns m the business trade siiico t-lio tast award was made, but lie. had heard none. JJw-rc- was a censiderahle differwico between tlto business <>t the li- i censed hotels and that of the private i hotels and restaurants, and employers aid not see any necessity to vajrv "t3ie ' existing award. Tho wiion mini admit that the provisions of tho 'existing ojwct kudu reasonable and just coodi. hoKs for the worlars. It was the wish . or the employers that tbis award-should continue in force. Mr. Carey stated that lio knew for : a fact that in the case of a mimoor of restaurants, disputes could be , settled trtit of the Court. . At this fct-ac© Mr. GrenfpH and-Mr. Kennedy withdrew, »tid the proceediaes . were condHCtod in committee ■■ Aft-er hour's deliberation the eon-, . ference adjourned until 2 p.m. t^itiy/