WOOL STOREMEN

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 57, 2 December 1918, Page 6

WOOL STOREMEN

/ WANT MOEE WAGES,

A "stop-work" meeting of the members of the wool section of the Wellington United Storcnwn's Union was held in the Trades Hall. Vivian Street, on Friday afternoon to discuss the questions of increased rates of pny, overtime pay, and certain other concessions.

The outcome of the meeting is that the union is desirous that, another conference between delegates from the AVellington Wool Brokers' .Association 'and from the union should be held early this week.

At present the main difference is one of vases, the men asking for Is. Md. per hour for casual work, ma.de up of Is. Bd., plus 2d. war bonus; the association declines to pay more than Is. fld. per 'hour (Is. Gd., plus 3d. war .bonus). Last year's rate was Is. aid. an hour, plus lid. war bonus. The proposal that permanent workers should received £'3 15s. per w?ek (£& 10s., plus ss. war bonus), together with any overtime earned, has been agreed to by the association. The latter body also agrees to pay. an increase in overtime rates proportionate to the increase' in ordinary pay, but where they propose to pay 2s. Id. per hour for work done between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., the union ask for 2s. 5Jd.. and where the proposal is that 3s. per hour should be paid for work done between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., the men are asking 3s. 6d. The association has agreed to supply overalls to men engaged in' handling skins, hides, and certain other goods, but has declined to allow the institution cf "smoke-oli's." One of the officials of the AA'ool Brokers' Association said that the decision of the men to hold a "stop-work" meeting came as a surprise, for the first notification received was given by an advertisement in the paper. Further, he mentioned that the association had paid all casual workers full pay during the recent armistice celebrations, although I they were not compelled to do so.