CARPENTERS AND JOINERS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 152, 23 March 1939, Page 6

CARPENTERS AND JOINERS

New Award Claims APPLICATION FOR WEEKLY WAGE » The hearing of an application for a new Dominion award to cover carpenters and joiners was begun in the Court of Arbitration, Wellington, yesterday. The chief matters in dispute were wages, overtime and holidays and suburban and country work.

Mr. J. Moulton appeared for the applicant union and Mr. W. J. Mountjoy for the employers. The dispute is being heard in conjunction with that for builders and general labourers and plumbers. It was many years,since such a dispute had been referred to the Court, said Mr. Moulton, agreement having been reached previously in the conciliation proceedings. The changed conditions of work and wages, however, had caused a demand among the workers for stabilized conditions and a wage fixed not on the hourly rate, but in the nature of an annual income. The workers sought a minimum weekly wage of £6, plus 5/- a week tool allowance. Mr. Moulton drew attention to the standard wage pronouncement of the Court in 1937, which said, inter alia, ‘‘the Court thinks that in many, cases provision should be made for employment by the week,” and “there appears to be no good reason why the principle of weekly employment should not be extended.” Mr. Moulton contended that this principle should be extended to include all employed in the carpentry, joinery and joiners’ machinists’ trade, which was one that could very easily pay weekly wages to its workers.' The system of tendering enabled the employer to pass on to the public his labour and material costs plus profit. The Court of Arbitration had already made provision for a weekly wage to be paid to the carpenters and joiners in the employ of firms, companies and freezing works.

An alternative hourly rate, in the event of the Court not granting a weekly wage, of 3/- an hour or 3/3 for casual workers was sought by Mr. Moulton. He contended that as this rate was already being paid, there was no argument against it. Two weeks’ annual leave after 12 months’ service was sought by the union. An alteration in the suburban work clause was also sought, Mr. Moulton contending that the clause in the old award had worked in a most unsatisfactory manner. • It had been submitted to legal tests and found wanting. The union asked the Court to reduce the mileage distance from two miles to one mile and a half. The country work clause had also caused friction and an alteration was also sought. The union asked for the vital principles of the Auckland fibrous plasterers’ country clause, with, suitable alterations, to be applied to the carpentry industry. The case for the employers will be heard today.