INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

, (ELECTRICAL WORKERS' DEMANDS. By Telegraph—Prelß Association. Dunedin, May 27. Tho Conciliation Commissioner sat today to hear the gel eral electrical workers' dispute. The union asked for tho following rates:—Journeymen electricians, Is. lid. per hour; armature winders, Is. lldi; linesmen, Is. lOd.; assistant linesmen, Is. 9d. Tho employers offered Is. fsu\, Is. Gd., and Is. 3d. respectively, with a bonus of 2Jd. per hour. An agreement "was arrived at to pay tho electricians and armature winders Is. ,7!d. per hour, plus a bonus of A basic wage of Is. Gd. per hour was fixed for linesmen, but the question of a bonus was left to the Court to settle. Mr. Henderson, city electrical engineer, said this was an entirely new principlo and would have a far-reaching effect. His instructions were not to concede the bonus. The Commissioner said it was unusual for local bodies to hold out in such disputes. ' He thought it was a very unwise move. • Mr. Henderson said that if the concession were made it would probably mean an increased expenditure of between 1 i; 15,000 and ,£20,000 for tho year.

Regarding tho union asked for 15s. per woek for the first year, 20s. for the second, 28s. for tho third, and 355. for the fourth, and 60s. for tho fifth." The employers offered 10s., 205., 305., 405., .and 15s. respectively. The question was referred to tho Arbitration Court, as also wero tho proportion of apprentices and improvers' clause, dirt money, preference, and duration of tho award. An overtime rate of time and a half for the first three hours and thondoublo time was agreed tfi. The wages of help"ers in the power station, not otherwise provided for, were fixed at Is. 3Jd. per hour. The question of a bonus will bo settled by the Arbitration Court. PERFORMING MUSICIANS. ' Auckland, May 27. The Conciliation Council is hearing a dispute between' the Auckland Performing Musicians' Union of Workers and their employers. About forty employers were cited, including tho Opera House, theatres, picture shows, racing clubs, and refreshment rooms where orchestras arc engaged. Good progress had been mado when the council adjourned.