ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 239, 27 June 1918, Page 7

ARBITRATION COURT

AWARDS FILED ELECTRICAL WORKERS AND ENGINE-DRIVERS

Tlie Arbitration Court filed awards in the electrical workers' .dispute and the stationary, traction, % and locomotive engineers' dispute. . * , In the case of the electrical workers, the Court said thut tho main questions submitted were- ns to wages, overtime, and apprentices. Tho,wages fixed wore Is. 6cl. per hour, together-with u war bonus of 2d. per hour, this bonus to. remain in force until three months after the cessation of 'the war, but the war bonus might lie continued either wholly or partially,, or might be increased or terminated, as the Court, on the application of any party to the award, or.of its own motion, might determine , . Forty-four hours constitute a week's work, tho hours -to lie between 7.M a.m. and 5 p.m. on five days of the week, and 7.30 a.m. to noon oil one day. > Overtime is fixed at the rnte of time and a quarter for the first two hours, time and a half'thereafter to 10 p.m., and thereafter doublo timenntil the ordinary starting tune next morning, :With respect to apprentices, the practice prevailing in the Wellington district was to provide for assistant's, and not for apprentices. Ihe Court thought this practice was undesn , - , able, and considered that when a youth was taken on to learn the trade there should be mutual obligations, the -employer, to teach the youth, and tho youth to remain in iiis employer's service for the time specified. The employer is allowed to take au apprentice on probation for three months in- order to ascertain his fitness cr otherwise, but once having hecepted' him as a suitable apprentice, the employer would not be at liberty (as formerly in the case of nssistan'ts) to terminate the servico without good cause. The proportion was fixed at one apprentice to cadi journeyman, and ono to every employer who is the holder of awireman's license or who is a working employer.

EiS T Gft'E-DRIVERS' -AWARD.

■ .In the. case of the 'Wellington, station-, ary, traction, and locomotive engine drivers' dispute it was stated in a memorandum of'tho Court 'that many of the provisions in.the award were/agreed upon in the Conciliation Council,'and accepted by the 'parties. ~ The- substantial questions which tho Court had to settle were the wages and exemption clauses, i The Court fixed the wages as follows:— The minimum'rate to be paid to enginedrivers who are in charge of any boiler within tho meaning of, the Inspection of 'Machinery.Act,'-1908.. Where the work the engine-driver is employed to do shall require ,a first-class certificate as a stationary' engine-driver, and he is the holder of such a certificate, ¥23. per day; in the case of'a secondrclass certificate, Its. per day; for work. , requiring a traction or locoinotiv 3 certificate, ■ 12s. per d«'y-; : fireman, 10s. per day; greaser, 10s. per day; where any worker under this award is required to get up steam when starting work,: or to bank fires when ceasing work, and this involves his working outside his ordinary working hours, he shall be paid Is. additional for each day while so employed. Dirt money' is provided for at the rate of Is. per hour extra.

Tho following employers are exempted from the provisions of the award:—(l) Proprietors of all freezing works, provided they/ continue to observe present conditions; (2) proprietors of all dairy factories; Wellington Harbour Board. vVcjlllngton Hospital and Charitable Aid .Board, Manawatu County Council, Sandon Railway, proprietors of private railways; and tramways. -As regards the latter, the.urorision ifi'mado, tha't the employers shall'.; pay not less than the award rate for any work coming within the scope of the awa»d, and shall also pay overtiins rates. ' •