HAIRDRESSERS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 154, 25 March 1919, Page 2

HAIRDRESSERS' DISPUTE

FOR THE ARBITRATION COUET TO DECIDE. The Conciliation Council snt yesterday, to consider the tiispilte between the Wellington Hairdressers, HairA-orkers, and WigmakeiV Assistants' Union ..and- the The Commissioner, Mr. W. Newton, presided.-, and the following were assessors:—For the union, Messrs. H. Sim's, A. Duncan, and C. Shakes; for the employers; Messrs. -G. 11. Bradley,. J. Downes, snd ft. .T. Shake.'. Mr. M. J. Keardon appeared as agent for the union. • liponthe main point at issue, that of ■wages, no agreement, was. reached. The union's proposals with-regard to hours werei-A 48 hour week, exclusive of meal'hours; the Tecognisco: hours of. work in ea6h establishment to be between'B a.m. and C p.m. on four days of the wbek, : afid not later than 12.30 p.m. on the weekly half-holiday, and not later' than 8 p.m. ; on the weekly: lute flight, except on Christmas Eve (9 p.m.) ; and Nβ* Year's Eve (8 p.m.).-.;• In support of this it was pointed out that other trades in the community worked only. 4-J ■hours per week. The employers, acting on the instructions of tho association, counter-claimed:-That. the hours of ■work .shall be'f>2 hours, from 8 a.m.-till ■ 6.30 p.m.,' four-days of the week, till 1 p.m. on the half-holiday, and till 9 p.m. on thelato nijrht and on Christmas Eve ;aiid New Year's Eve. The existing award ■provides that the actual hours- worked: eacVdayaro fixed by the employer, according to the dirouinetiiitces-oMus-busi-nc<s, with provision for regulating the ' hours 'on certain days of tta week. In support of the counter-claim •1 he assessors stated that there were very few employers who. actually compelled their men to work.the whole 52 hours, and the hands were paid more in proportion to wlmt they earned than men in nny other trade. ' ■ ■■ ; After discussion the employers agreed to a reduction from 52 hours to 50 bourn , per week... ' • '• • The ■' question of wages wns next discussed, the iinion's claim being lor-a minimum wngo of SA per. week for nil journeymen- Or journeywouien, as against tho present rates, ,C 3 ss. (for first chairman) and'£3'(for all others). The employers, aftorsome consideration, were prepared to olfor a general minimum wago of £3 10s. per week. As thero were no further- offers from the respondents in the matters of hours and wages, the assessors for , the union intimated that the offers could, not be accepted. They will therefore be relerred to the Arbitration Court. Agreement' was arrived at on the lollowing claims ••— Meal Hours: Meal hours shall be arranged by each employer' in each-estab-lishment according to the circumstances of :his business, so that not less than one hour shnll Iμ allowed off for dinner, between the hours of 12 noon a« ( 1 2 .1 , '"'" on fiyo days of Hie week; and oil. Saturday, or tho day hereinafter appointed in its place, one hour i'or tea, be wcon 5 p.m. »nd 7 p.m. Work in Hand : >,o worker shall bo allowed to take a customer into his chair after hvo. minutes before closing.hour, nor shnll he be detained more than five ininuteu alter ttie closing hour. Holidays: The Jo lmvn, K days shall be observed rw lull holidii>s: Sw Year's Day, (3ood Friday, faster Mondiiy, Labour Day, Sovereign s 8.rf1.dav, dristmae Day, Boxing Day, AnmversarvDav, and Ihe second luesday in February (set apart as hairdressers picnic dnyj. ' ■ , ' Mailers concerning iipitfenlu'i'.-, casual work a week's holiday ntloi , Vi- months Sl ,rvic*. mid the olwervitnco ol' the usual half-holiday in the week in which the picnic is held, were also left lo the Aihilraliou Court to decide.