GROCERS' DISPUTE SETTLED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 303, 16 September 1920, Page 8

GROCERS' DISPUTE SETTLED

A complete settlement, has been reached in tho Wellington country grocers' rtispuj.c. Sittings o£ the Conciliation Council \cre presided over by the Commissioner (Mr, W. Newton) throuehout the Manawa/u nnd Wairnrapa districts, and at Wanganul and Napier. The new scale of wageß agreed upon is as follows:—15 to 16, 15s. per week: 16 to 17, £1: 17 to 18, £1 7s. 6d.; 18 to 19. £2; 19 to 20, £2 10s.: 20 to 21. £3; 21 to 22. £3 108.; over 22, £4 2b. 6d. Under the old award the wages of journeymen over 22 years of age wero less than £4 ner week. A weekly bonus of ss. will also be naid to all workers in future. Formerly the. hours of work were regulated by tho Shops and Offices Act, but an hours' clause has been included iu tho new award as follows;— 8 a.m. to 5.50 p.m. on four days of the week. 8 to 8.30 p.m. on one day, and B a.m. to 1 p.m. on the day of the weekly half-holiday. Overtime is to bo paid at the rate of timo and -a, half for the first three hours, ami double time thereafter. The award provides that casual ivorsors may be employed at not less than 2s. 6d. per hour with a minimum of four hours' work. It is also laid down that no youths under 18 shall be engaged as drivers, whereas the old award stipulated that youths under 16 should not be employed oji this work. The award will come into force on October 4 next, and will operate for a period of two years.