SUGAR WORKS STRIKE DECLARED OFF

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 304, 17 September 1920, Page 8

SUGAR WORKS STRIKE DECLARED OFF

UNION ACCEPTS ARBITRATION COURT AWARD HOURS OF WORK REDUCED TO FORTY-FOUR By Telegrapn—Press Association. Auckland, September 16. The award of the Arbitration Court in the sugar workers' dispute was filed this afternoon. The Suuar Workers' Union considered the award to-nigbit, and after a protracted discussion decided to declare the striko off, and to return'to work in a body on Monday. The award provides that 44 hours shall constitute a week's work, and that shiftmen shall work in eight-hour shifts, excent on Saturdays, when they shall workfour hours. The minimum weekly wage i'r i'i. with certain increases for higher grades.

Under tine heading "No discrimination," the award says: "The employer in engaging or dismissing workers shall not discriminate against members of the union, nor do anything for the purpose of injuring tho union, provided that nothing in this award shall interfere with the right of the employer to discharge any worker for misconduct.

Overtime is to be paid for at the rate of time and ft half for the first thrco hours, and thereafter double time. The award comes into force to-morrow, and remains in operation for six months. In a memorandum attached, the Court refers to the claim for special consideration by the workers on account of the character of the work. The Court came to the conclusion that, except in some of the higher grades of work, which might reasonably be classed as semi-skilled., the work generally appeared to be unskilled, and a great portion of it ordinary labourer's work of the simplest kind. In those circumstances the Court saw no justification for fixing the minimum remuneration of the lowest grade of workers in the factory at a higher rate than that already fixed. After careful consideration in'awards dealing with different industries throughout the Dominion and covering workers of a similar class; and bearing in mind the fact that the company was under contract with the Government to supply a certain amount of Bii"(ir which would require the factory to "work full time, the Court had gravo doubts about reducing the hours from 48 to 4-4. However, the union representative had assm-pd tho Court that shortened hours would not result a diminution of outnut. The Court was not satisfied thnte- it bad been fully informed of the nature and .conditions of the work, and t'wofore bad fixed the period of the ward at six months, so that, if thought advisable by either of the parties,' it could be reviewed. In tho course of the award, the Court referred to the fact that it had been arranged that the Court should see .tic refinery at vorV. but that was impossible a, the men had seen fit to go out on strike in tho meantime.-.