TRAMWAY WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3170, 22 August 1917, Page 7

TRAMWAY WORKERS

NEW DEMANDS. Tho Wellington Tramway Employees' Union has filed demands for an industrial award to replaco the agreement entered into, with the City Corporation in April, 1914. Tho main points in the union's claims are as follow (a comparison with tho present agreement being given in parentheses):— Wages.—Matormen,. after 12 months' service, Is. (id. per hour; emergency motorinen, from time of receiving proficiency certificate till completion of 12 months' service, Is. 4.Jd. per hour (Is. Id. to Is. 21(1. after three years); conductors, Is. 3d. -per hour for first 12 months, Is. Id. thereafter (Is. to Is. Id.); night shift workers, car cloanore, Is. 41d. per hour on six nights per week of 8 hours per night (Is. OJd.); car'maintenance men employed on night work, Is. Gd. por hourfblacksmiths, Is. Bid.; blacksmiths' strikers, Is. .Id. (Is. IJd.); linesmen, Is. Bd. (Is. 4d.); assistant linesmen, Is. 7d. (Is. 3d.); permanent way repairers, Is. Gd. and 2d. per hour in addition as dirt money (Is. 2\d. and Is. lid.); trackmen. Is. Gd. (Is. lAd.); motormen engaged on track cleaner, .£U per week (4!3 7s, Gd.); track cleaner attondauts, .£3 lQs. per week (Ji2 17s. Gd.'/; day shed labourers, Is. Id. per hour (Is. lid.); car maintenance men, Is. .6(1, per. hour; engineers, Is. lid.; coaoh painters. Is. 9d.; carbuilders, Is. 9d.; motor drivers for overhead, Is. Gd. an hour (ruling rates in various trade awards).

Hours.-rMotormsn and conductors, S per day (8, with right to call for ono more hour at ordinary rates); night workers in sheds, 8 hours per night and six nights a week; linemen and assistants, 18 hours per week, between 7.15 a.m. and 5 p.m. on five days and 7.45 a.m. and noon on Saturday (85 hours on five days and 4J on Saturdays); emergency linesmen, 8 hours per- shift on six. days per week (58 hours per week of seven days); blacksmiths and strikers, 46 hours for six-day week; permanent way repairers, 45 hours per week (46J hours); trackmen, .15 hours, to be worked between G. 30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. on five days and ono five-hour day (45 hours per week); employees engaged on trackcleanors, 8 hours per night; day pitmen and shetl labourers, 8} hours on five days and 4| on Saturday; coaclipainters, 47 hours per week; motor-drivers for overhead, 8 hours per day. ' engineers and car constructors, 41 hours per week.

Overtime.—A new clause has been inserted providing, generally for :time and a half after eight hours, until midnight, and double time thereafter; Sunday overtime, double rato Itimo and a half). Tho present overtime clause gives time and a half till midnight and double time thereafter except to workers on night shifts. Holidays.—A demand is made for 14, flays' annual holiday and 21 days for night workers (the present award provides for 8 to 12 days' holiday according to tho class of work ond length of service). Under the heading of "travelling time" a claim is made for free riding on tho cars for tho union secretary. There are the usual preference and general clauses, and in addition tho following new provisions: Two conductors shall bo employed on all doube-deckcrs; all work in conncction with the service shall be suspended on Christmas Day and Good .Friday; full,pay shall be allowed for time lost through sickness on production of a doctor's certificate; no person, under 21 years of ago shall be encaged as a conductor. Tho case will come bnfoi'o the Conciliation Council shortly. Assessor nominated to act for tho union are: Messrs. Adam Black (Wellington), E. A. Evans (Wellington), :,nd Harry Carter (Auckland).