ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 14, 11 October 1918, Page 8

ARBITRATION COURT

SADDLERS' DISPUTE

The Arbitration Court heard the Wellington saddlers' dispute yesterday. The points in dispute related to hours of work, classes a\_ workers, wages, proportion of apprentices, and wages of female stitchers and machinists. Tho union's demnud was for a 4'l-hour week; factories in Wellington city and suburbs, including Petonc and Lower Hutt, to cease work on Saturdays at noon; in other parts -of the industrial district, work to • stop at noon on one day in tho week; only four classes or workers to bo recognised; journeymen to be paid not less than Is. 9d. per hour; and the proportion of apprentices and female stitchers to journeymen in the different departments of thn rrad? is set forth.

ojection was also taken to the existing provision witii reference to overtime. At present the workers were not paid overtime until they had worked the full weekly number of hours. If there was a holiday in the week, the men had to "work that off."

For the employers it was pointed out that the introduction of motorcars had meant a reduction in thy volume of saddlers' business. The employers contended that the present hours should he retained.' The calling of so manv men to military service had seriously reduced .the numbers of skilled workers in the country. The present was an inopportune time for workers to ask that the hours of worn should be reduced. A saddler's work was not unduly arduous. With a few minor alterations the employers were willing to como into line with the agreement como to in Christchurch; that was, providing all the conditions of work were the same. It was urged that it was in the interest oi tho workers that too high a minimum wage should not be fixed in the case of women .workers. In Wellington, women workers received well in advance of the minimum wage. None of the employers had asked their employees to work off holiday .time. Decision was reserved. ELECTRICAL WORKERS. Respecting an application to amend the award relating to the electrical industry regarding learners and apprentices, . the Court said that the whole subject could be reviewed when a new award was being applied for.