BUTCHERS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 64, 9 December 1919, Page 2

BUTCHERS' DISPUTE

THE COURT'S AWARD

NEW "COST OF LIVING" BONUS

The Arbitration Court yesterday filed tho new award for the Wellington operative butchers. The principal paints of the award are set out bolotp— ■ Hours: For all workers the "hours of ■work shall be from 7 a.m. io 5 p.m. on four days of the week, with one hour for dinner on each day. On Saturdays the hours,of work, shall be from (i a.m. to 5 p.m., with half an hour for breakfast and ono hour , for dinner. On Wednesdays tliey shall bo from 7 a.m. to 12 noon. In shops where the weekly-haW-holidny is taken on Saturday, Hie hours for Wednesday shall be from' 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with one hour for dinner, and on Saturday from 6 a.m. t<o 12 neon, with half an hour for breakfast. Notwithstanding the above, a worker, may be employed at any hour to supply shipping, provided that, if the time so occupied is in exoess of the hours provided under tho Shops and Olliccs Act; overtime shall be paid as hereinafter provided.

Wages: Workers shall be paid not less than the wages ,-following:—First shopman. or man- in" charge, £1 7s. Cd. par week; second shopman, £3 17s. .6d. per week; first small goods .man, £1 7s; lid. per week; all other workers, JE3 12s; fid. per week. In addition there shall be paid to the workers above mentioned a bonus of ss,' per week unless and until tho. Court shall otherwise order.

Overtime: All overtime shall .he paid for at-the rate of time and-n half, mid in tho computat : on of overtime the bonus above mentioned-shall bo excluded;'.

.Casual .workers: All casual. workers shall, be , paid at the rate' of not less than 2s. per hour, with a minimum' of six hours for any dny on which such workers shall be employed. Boys and Youths: Employers may employ boys and youths at" not less than the following rates of wages:—Under 17 yeans of age, £1 7s. Gd. per week; 17 to 18. £1 12s. 6(1.; 18 to 19, £1 fe.fid.; 19 to 21, ,£2 13s. Any boy who -has attended a course of instruction-in'butchery technique at a technical college, and has passed the first year's examination 'in the same, shall receive iin increase iii wages of 2s. Gd. per week in addition-to tho- above rates; similarly, -boys''who Imve pasj-ed the second -year's exrimijiation shall receive en extra ss. per week, and those who have passed. :tho''third year's examination, on extra 7s; Gd. por week, provided that these additional payments shall only be made-for one ye.rf following the passing of the examination, except in the case of. the*. thisraV year examination, in which case boys'shall Iμ entitled .to receive the additional payment until they-reach the ago of 21 years.

Weekly Half-holiday: No worker, shall be employed afterl2.3o p.m. on''..he day of iho weekly, half-holiday , , irrespective of the provisions of'section 19 of the Shops and Offices Act, provided that'in itny week in which two consecutive, holi-' days ocaur the weekly half-holiday' need not bo 'observed. ! -~.-.■<

Among the-general provision's of the award is the following:—The employment of-female labour, other "tluiii the wife or daughter of, the employer, sbhll not' lw allowed, and no,'employee' shall bo permitted to hive the assistance of'female labour at any time. •■' ■■

Special provisions as to pork Lutchers , shops: Notwithstanding- the foregoing' provisions, females of or over the ago , of .17 years may be ..employed'. as' shop assistant? in shops'in-t which.'tho sole--I>wsincs3 carried pn.'is. ; tliat'-of a' pork' l>nteller, upon the .following'term's and: conditions:—The hours of work.shall bo not more than 47 per wwk,. and. shall. 1)q arranged ,as follows:—Three -daj-s a week, between S n.in. and (i p.m., not inoro than eisrht hours to be worked on each dny. On the day of-the weekly holf-holidaV tho hours shall ,be between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., and not more thnii four ;hours shall bo. worked., On Friday, or' Saturday Hie hours jsb.il! be between 8 "aim. 'and 9'p.m., not more than nine hours to bo worked on one , of these; days,', and not more than ten' : days'. on the ether. In such shops the hours of work for male workers shall be regulated by the .Shops and Offices .Act. Tho wages of females shall he as follow:—First year,. JH ss. per week; after one year's service, £[ 12s. 6d. per. week; after two years'service, JC2; thereafter, £2 10s.. A 'femalo' Assistant entering tho trade-without pro-; vious experience from the age of 21' years' shall be treated as bavin? entered upon her spcond year of service. All timo -.vorked in excess of the ''hours specified. . . shall bi> paid for at tho rate of timo ■ami n half.

Suopn and tijrm of award: Thp operation of this award is limited to the area lying within a radius of 25 miles from the Chief Post Office, Wellington. -The award shall come into force'on January 1., 192 ft. and shall continue in force until. October 20, 1921. •-.■■■ In a memorandum, the Court states: "Tho basic wages for Iho different eWses of workers have l>ewi fixed, and to them has been added a bonus.of five .shillings per. week, which includes the sum'- offour shillings por week, boing.the amount required to compensate tho workers for the increased cost of living ns ascertained by the latest invest ig-.itio'us of the Governmont Statislicinn. Tho additional ono shilling has been granted in ordor to 'enable the Court to moke' a more equitable adjustment in the grading of the different workers." ' ■ ■'■'.'.