DRIVERS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2945, 4 December 1916, Page 9

DRIVERS' DISPUTE

TERMS OF SETTLEMENT

AN INCREASE GRANTED ' CONTRACT TO BE REVIEWED [ Tho Hon. W. H. Hemes (Minister of ; i-abour) yesterday handed to a Dominion Reporter "the following Cabinet minute ftdated Novomber 30, 1916) covering the .Terms or' settlement in the dispute between members of tho New Zealand ©rivers' Federation and employers upon vv.hich Cabinet was asked to arbitrate:— , . "Whereas the representatives of tho plaster Drivers and tho representatives «f tho New Zealand Drivers' Federation ■havo met in conference, and have by letters addressed to the Hon. the Minister of Labour, dated November 29, J916, signed respectively by Mr. E. A. . Craig, chairman of the Employers' Conference, and Mr. A. Parlane, general ■secretary of tho New Zealand Drivers' ■Federation, agreed to submit unreservedly certain matters in dispute to Cabinet for decision, and havo further agreed to abide.by tho decision ,of Cabinet. •.-.■.'•' ' "Now therefore Cabinet hereby decides, as follows: — l 'l. That the awards of the Arbitration Court, dated October 28, 1916, which settle tho conditions ■of employment of drivers shall ■stand unaltered with to wages alid other conditions "2. That a war bonus , of _ six • shillings peri week shall be paid to 'one horse drivers, in addition to the minimum wage of £2 12s. per week, provided by the said awards of the Arbitration Court, and a similar sum of six shillings per week shall bo paid to two-horso ; drivers in addition to tho minimum wage of £2 "16s. provided _by the said awards . of 'the Arbitration Court. Thus the .wages of one-horse drivers and two-noreo drivers, with the addition of the war bonus, shall not be less than £2 18s. and £3 2s. per week respectively. "3. That in addition to tho mlnlmum wages of £2 155., £2 17s. 6d.,. and £3 per week awarded by the : Arbitration Court in the said .' awards to tho drivers of three dif-' ferent classes of motor vehicles, a war bonus of os. per week shall be paid. Thus the weekly ivages .of those drivers, together with the war bonus, shall not bo less than £3, £3 2s. 6d., and £3 ss. respectively. . "1. That the arrangement cmbodied in this minute shall continue for the period of the present war ; and for three months thereafter. "5. That the arrangement set forth in this minute shall operate as from Monday, November 27, 1916. ■ "6. That this decision of Cabinet ' and the arrangement set forth in' this minute shall bind all the parties to the several awards of the Arbitration Court, dated October . 28, 1916. "7. That should any question arise as to'the meaning of any part of this minute, it shall be referred to the Hon. the Minister of Labour ■ for decision." ' ' ' STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER DELEGATES COMPLIMENTED. - In a statement reviewing the proceedings which led up to tho settlement, Mr. Herries remarked that he ■wished sincerely to compliment the delegates to the late conference summoned by him to consider the drivers' dispute, on the conciliatory ; spirit displayed by'both sides. "Every one," the Minister continued, "appeared to be desirous of obtaining a satisfactory settlement of the dispute in order Ho avoid tho commencement of a struggle ■which might havo developed into a nerious industrial upheaval throughout the Dominion. It was especially pleasing to see tho patriotic spirit evinced by the delegates at a. time like the present when it is moro than . ever necessary to unite together to keep our land free from industrial strife, in order to concentrate our efforts: on the one tiling we have in hand, : namely, the winning of tho war. With such a spirit prevailing a peacohll. settlement was within sight, and it only needed a conference of those interested to niako clear, and isolate tho points in dispute, and endeavour to come to an understanding, or,' in tho case of inability to do so, to agree to submit the points in dispute to tho arbitration' of-, a third party. This was the course followed, and the..'final decision of tho ]>oint at issue, namely, the question of the minimum wage, which by that.timo had been brought within narrow limits, was left to .the decision of Cabinet. This deoision now published loaves tho award of the Arbitration Court undisturbed, but gives as a war bonus the substantial increase of six shillings a . week to the minimum wages of the' horse-drivers, making the minimum 'wages'of tho one-horso drivers £2 18s. and of tho two-horse drivers £3 2s. a week. Cabinet was only asked to fix the minimum wage. It is still open.-to any employer to give moro than the new minimum wages,' as many of them are doing at tho presont time. Tho action of the master drivers, largely, I believe, through patriotio motives, in agreeing to. increase''the-■ wages' to their employees, when they might havo .stood fast on the award of tho Arbitration Court is greatly to bo commended. . •■''.'Recognising that ■■ this increase means 'a very considerable increase in the wages bill, tho Government considered that with the altered conditions they could iiot equitably hold'their contractors for carting to tho terms of their contracts. They .therefore- passed tho following resolution in Cabinet: "Inconsequence of. the master drivers and employers in tho carting trade having agreed to givo substantial additions by way of war bonus to tbo minimum rates of wages laid down by tho award to their employees, Departments haying contracts with such master drivers and emptoyers aro instructed to equitably review such contracts, with a view to meeting tho altered conditions." "Tho Government hope and expect that local bodies and private individuals having contracts of a similar nature will take tho same view, and bo prepared to readjust them to meet tho altered conditions. "Tho representatives'of tho ..drivers, too," tho Minuter remarked, in conclusion, "aro to be commended for their desire to como to an araicablo settlement consistent with' their natural de-. sire to do the host for tho men they represented. The conferonco throughout was conducted, in a most amicable manner and without any acerbity. I personally have to thank all thoso concerned for the valuable assistance they have gfren in bringing to a satisfactory issue what* threatened at one time to h* *« extremely difficult problem." Tho special meeting of-the Wellington Drivers' Union held' in tho Alexandra Hall yesterday' -afternoon was Srgp.ly attended. A good deal of discussion took place oi. the subject of what was termed the low rate of wages fixes by Cabinet in tho agreement, and considerable criticism was levelled at the delegates for having placed the matter unreservedly in tho hands of tho Cabinet. As showing tho genuineness or the attitude of the men, Mr. Parlane stated that tho ballot to striko BtiloSs.the wages were increased was carried by a largo majority. That step, "lowover, had been averted by tho action of the delegates in leaving the sett!«asonu of the dispute to Cabinet.