ARBITRATION COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 52, 25 November 1919, Page 3

ARBITRATION COURT

STOREMEN'S WAGES INCREASES APPLIED FOR Tho Arbitration Court snt yesterday afternoon to hear the application of tho 'Wellington storemon for an amendment of their award. His Honour Mr. Justice Ktrincer presided, and the* assessors were ilr. W. Scott (for the employers.l and Mr. J. M'Cullough (for tho employees). Mr. A. L. Monteith appeared for the applicant union, and Mr. W. A. Greufell for tho employers. The union asked that tho rates for herd stoi'eiiion bo raised from .fit to JM 10s. ner week, and those for ordinary storemon from X' 3 10s. to ,£4; also that the iunior wage Ik; increased by Gs. Gd., and the casual rates be altered- from' Is. 7Jd. per hour to 2s. (for ordinary time), and from 2s. 4cl. to 3s. (for overtimed. The application was based on "the, increased cost of living and relevant grounds." Mr. Monteith said that there wero two sections of storemon in Wellington— wholesale storcnicn and wool storcmen. Tho wool storcmen had always come to mi' aereenicnt with their employers, whilo tho wholesale storcmen had always wine to the Court; antf the Court had always awarded less to the wholesale storemen than the wool storemen got by agreement. Vet the permanent men in wool stoves did practically tho same kind of/ work ns the men in the wholesale houses. In the wool storo agreements registered tho Wellington rates wero al-. wavs higher than the rates in other centres. The union was not producing any evidence. Mr. Monteith proceeded. It did not think it fair that it should be asketf to do so. It had brought one man to Iho court lo give evidence, and the employer, with tho observation, "1 didn't like tho evidence you gave at last silling." hnd given him a fortnight's notice. "Wo are told, nevertheless," commented the union representative, "not to take direct action, nut to come here in-a constitutional way." llis Honour: That man could have been, prosccuted. Mr. Monteith: He told the employe*! "I didn't like the evidence." He didn't say that was what lie was sacking tho worker for. Mr. Greufell replied. He contended that the men jhad been very well treated bv the Court. They hnd been granted an increase of two-sevenths of their wages. Mr. Monteith: One pouno'since.l9l2. Moreover. Mr. Grenfell continued, ''onm of the storeraen hud their hours reduced from 4B ner week to 4-i. If any amendment was to be made on account of the increase in cost of living, he submitted, that increase would have to be computed from AuguM, 1919 (the dato of the last amendment).

The Court reserved its decision, and aaiourned till 10 a.m. to-day.

AMENDED AWAIiDS FILED

The amended award, under the I.C. and A, Act, 1!>03. and in the matter of the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment. Act, 1918, of the 'Wellington Bookbinders nnd Papsrrulers' Union has been filed. As from .January 1 next tho hours of work 'are to be *5 per weck_. The war bonus is increased to 7s. Gd. per week to all journeymen except pieceworkers.

In the case cf the Wellington Sadder.;' lininn the amended award provides that in addition to the minimum wages, jourlieypien are to receive a bonus of 21d. l)cr hour until the Court orcors otherwise. ' Overtime is to be paid for at tho rate of time and a half for tho tinst three hours, instead of time and a quarter. and thereafter ooublc time. Work done on Saturday afternoon or on tho day sot apart for the weekly half holiday to be paid for at tho rate of tims and n half for the iirst three hours, instead of time and a ([iiarter, and thereafter dn.uhle time. Work done on Saturday afternoon or on the day set apart for the weeklv half-holinay to be paid for at the rate of time and a half for the first three hours and double time thereafter. Tn computing the overtime rate the bonus is to 1m excluded from such computation.