FREEZING WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2612, 6 November 1915, Page 15

FREEZING WORKERS

I''ILE DEMAND FOR. NEW AWARD

Tho Wellington Freezing Works Employees Industrial Unicn has filed an application with tl-o Arbitration Court, and tho dispute botweon the union and tno employees will be heard before the Conciliation _ Commissioner (Mr. I'. HnHy) on November 24. The main increase asked for is an additional lid. per hour, from Is. 3d. to Is. 4}d. per hour, for general workers, but no increase is asked for piecework. Iho eight-hour day is still maintained, but a new clause with yegard to the hours in inserted. Under the present agreement tho eight hours per day may bo worked at any time during the 24, but the .union now has tho following clause in their demands:— "In all departments covered by this agreement eight hours shall constitute a day s work .on five days of the week and four hours on Saturday. These may be worked between tho hours of 7 j'n 1 ' ° P' m ' all(; ' a ' m ' Uo(m - All tinio worked beyong these hours, °i r Ji e f oro or . after tho time lbentioned shall bo considered overtime. Each day" shall stand by itsolf. The first two hours work in excess of those hours mentioned in the above clause shall be l'aid for at tho rate of time and a quarter, and the second two hours at I the rate of time and a half, after that double time.

Preference is ,-isked for in the usual terms, but tho following proviso is inserted:—

Nothing herein contained shall prevent tho continued employment or the re-employment of workers now in the employment of any employer, although such workers may not be or become members of the union, provided thoy are employed at the same class of work each season. When members of tlu union and non-members are employed together there shall be 110 distinction botween members and non-members, and both shall work together in harmony, and shall receive equal pay for equal work."

Tho union desires to make the Gear Moat Co., Ltd., and tho Wellington Meat Export Co., Ltd., parties to the dispute.