THE DRIVERS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 114, 7 February 1919, Page 6

THE DRIVERS' DISPUTE

LIGHT ON THE SITUATION'

AN OFFER AND A REPLY

Some light on the situation created by the drivers' dispute is given in the attached correspondence which passed between Mr.' W. Pryor, secretary of the Employers' Federation, and Mr. A. Parlane, secretary of the New Zealand Drivers' Federation, on January 24. In his letter to Mr. Parlane, Mr. Pryor says :—

"After the withdrawal of the representatives of the Drivers' Federation from the conference this morning a meeting of employers' representatives was held, and general regret expressed that the conference had not been able to arrive at a settlement of the dispute. After considerable discussion it was decided to convey to you the following offer in the hope that it might be accepted by your federation :— Bates of Pay.—One horse drivers, ' £3 Is. per week of 48 hours; two-horse drivers, £3 ss. per week of 48 hours; stable work (in excess of 48 hours per week, Is. 3d. per hour. The employer to have the right to have stable work done during ordinary,working hours, . and only such work as is done in excess of 48 hours per week shall be paid for. Casual Workers.—Ordinary and overtime, l}d. per hour extra. Permanent—Overtime, IJd. per hour .. extra. Weekly Half-holiday.-All work done after 1 p.m. on the day of the recognised half-holiday to be paid for ' at overtime rates.

Payment of Wages,—Wages to bo paid weekly in cash. All other conditions to remain as at present. The above offer is made without prejudice to any future action which may be taken by either side. fn making these proposals it is desired that I should point out that tho employers have agreed to .the requests for a weekly half-holiday, the payment for ftabk work and wages to be paid weekly. In adidtion to the concessions above stated, the proposals regarding wages mean for work done (including stable work) in accordance with the terms of the present award, an increase of Bs. per week for one-horse drivers, and 13s. per week for two-horse drivers. The employers' representatives assembled in Wellington regret they could not see their way to accede to the demands of the federation, but hope that the above offer which concedes several points desired by ymir fedbesides a very substantial increase in wages, will be accepted by your federation as a settlement of the matters in dispute, in which case it is desired,that steps should be taken to have awards made in the several districts for a period of two years." The Union's Reply. Mr. Parlane, replied the same day, stating that the Drivers' Federation regretted that it was unable to accept the terms offered, for many reasons, some of which were as follow:— 1. Your offer of ,£3 Is. per week of •48 hours is totally inadequate as a living wage. 2. Kindred workers, such as railway men, from crossing-keepers upwards, receive a minimum of .£3 12s. per week of 48 hours. Storemen in . Wellington were recently awarded by tho Arbitration Court, ,£3 6s. per week, and in the majority of cases, 'work only 44 hours per week. 3. The offer of .£3 Is. per week is merely an increase,of three shillings on the present rates, and a driver to i earn more than £3 Is. has to violate ' the principle of an eight-honr day, and a living wage for a 48-hpur week, because to earn the rise of eight shillings stated by you the driver would have to work 48 hours' ordinary time for £<> Is., and four hours' stable work, at Is. 3d. per hour, making a (( total of 52 hours for .£3 6s. "It- is unreasonable to compel a horse drive to work fifty-two hours per week to earn a bare existence, when the recognised standard for tradesmen is fortyfour hours. The rate of 'overtime offered, Is. 6d. per hour is ridiculously low-less than the ordffiary rates for many other classes of workers. ' "Tho Drivers' Federation haa been Pleased to note that the employers have afhrmed two principles for which the drivers have been contending for the past ten years, viz., payment for what is usually termed 'necessary attendance upon horses/ and a weekly half-holiday. We regret, however, that whilst you concede the principle of payment 'for attendance to horse,*, you want to rob the driver of the concession by asking him to nccept less than a living wage for 48 hours, thus practically leaving him in the position he previously occupied. This federation contends that it has made every possible effort, consistent with reason, to effect a settlement, both in November last, and during the lost two day?. Our original proposal for a 44hour week was extended to 48 hours in hopes of effecting a settlement ,as the drivers are very.loth to do anything likely to precipitate an industrial conflict especially fti view of the universal unrest amongst the working classes.: We have tried by every means in"'onr power to effect an amicable settlement, but your side has failed either to meet our arguments or satisfy our claims,- and we submit that the onus lies with the employers of preventing this dispute from developing into anything more serious"

No further developments we're reported yesterday m connection with the drivers' dispute

AUCKLAND UNION. DECIDES ON A BOYCOTT. By Telegraph-Press Association.'

. Auckland, February 6. At a etop-work meeting of the Auckland Drivers' Union. to-day, it wa-, resolved to introduce a boycott system on firms taking an active part at tlie recent Wellington conference in opposing the granting of what the union considered reasonable conditions of employment; also to ask the watersides and the railway men to refuse to Landle any good? in transport going through these firms .The union also resolved that in future "drivers shall not attond before 8 a.m., and shall return to the stable in time to leave at 5 p.m.

POSITION IN CHBISTCHUKCH. By Telegraph-Press Association. _ _ Christchurch, February 6. Inquiries in Christchurch to-day show that the transport business of tlie city continues tranquilly. The men have not adopted the policy reported from Wellington in regard to hours.