ENGINEERS' DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 178, 23 April 1920, Page 8

ENGINEERS' DISPUTE

A SETTLEMENT REACHED. The dispute of the Wellington branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers came before tho Conciliation Council yesterday. The Concilia'tion Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) presided, The assessors for the employers' were Messrs, A. C. Mitchell, E. C. Stonebnnks, and D. Robertson; and for tho unions, Messrs. J. "W. Watson, G, Leigh, and H. fisher. After 6ome discussion the hours of work. wore. settled as .follows:—Forty-four hours shall constitute a week's work of which eight hours shall be worked on five days of tho week, and four hours on Saturday. The hour of starting and hour of censing work shall be mutually arranged in each establishment betweon tho hours of 7.30 a.m. and 5 p.m, on five days of the week and 7.30 a.m. and noon on Saturday, with a, break of not more'than one hour for lunch. i The overtime rates aro tho same as thoso accepted by the Boilormakers' Union. Time and a half is to bo paid for three hours, and thereafter doublo time, up to tho ordinary time of starting work next morning. No worker is ■to be required to work continuously for more than twenty-four hours, including meal times; but any worker may agrco with the employer to work on subject to the payment of double time. Tho holidays are the same as those granted to the boilermakers, Tho union asked for Easter Saturday and Anzac Day, but the request was declined by tho employers,

The wages were fixed nt 2s. «m hour, plus a bonus of 3d. an hour, whilo in the old award tho wage was Is. 7}d. an hour and 2Jd- bonus. Oxy-acet'ono welders get a shilling a clay nioro than tho ahovo rates.- All wages aifc-'io ho paid weilclv. and not later than Friday. For "dirty" work as defined, tho worker is to receive Is. Gd. a.day extra. The wages of apprentices were fixed at 15s. for the first year, 20s. for tho second year, 30s. for tho third year, 355. for the fourth year, and 40s. for tho fifth year.' Tho other clauses dealing with conditions of work were agreed to without much discussion. . A settlement was reached on all points, and the agreement will be submitted to the Arbitration Court for approval as an award.