PLASTERERS’ AGREEMENT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 288, 31 August 1921, Page 9

PLASTERERS’ AGREEMENT

"objections OF COUNTRY ■ EMPLOYERS. A complete agreement'-upon conditions to be embodied in a new award was recently arrived at in Conciliation Courtcll by the Wellington Pl as to tors' Union and the Wellington Master 'Builders’ Association. When, however, the plasterers case was called in the Arbitration Court yesterday, Mr. W. A. Grenfell put before the Court objections by country em-, plovers, who had not been represented at the Conciliation Council sitting. Mr, R. Burton appeared for the union Mr. Grenfell said that the employers ho represented took exception to certain clauses of the recommendations. Clause 4 broke away from the Court s decision on overtime. The country employers asked that time and a half should, extend over the first three, not the first two, hours. They also wished to see the holiday for th<> Wellington city building employees’ picnic specifically confined to Wellington employees; and to have the suburban work clauses altered in some vespects. The provision that mas ; ters should train apprentices in every branch of the trade" ought to-be mitigated, Mr. Grenfell suggested, by adding after the word “trade” "as carried on by the employer.” • "We want to make the men thoroughly competent,” said Mr. Burton, in supporting the original clause. "We hear employers complain about incompetence when Iho blamo lies with them for not teaching apprentices all branches of tho trade.'". In explanation of his appearance before the Court, Mr. Grenfell said that the country employers felt entitled to state their objections when the city emulpyers entered into an agreement without considering whether the t'erms of the agreement were inimical to country interests. Mr. Burton said the • plasterers Imd taken it that, as formerly, the Wellington Master Builders' ' Association was dealing .with the union, on behalf of the country as well as employers. Mr. Grenfell’s intervention had come as a surprise to tho union. The Court reserved its decision. '