NEW AWARD SOUGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 54, 1 September 1926, Page 15

NEW AWARD SOUGHT

PAINTERS AND DECORATORS

CASE FOE BOTH SIDES.

(By Talograph.—Press Association.)

CHEISTCHUBCH, 31sfc August.

The Arbitration Court sat to-dny to hear an application for a Dominion award by the New Zealand Federated Painters and Decorators' Industrial Union of Workers. The union asked that the hours of work should be not more than eight hours per day on five working days of the week, which should bo from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m., and four hours on Saturday from 8 a.m. till noon. It was asked that journeymen and apprentices should be allowed five minutes before ceasing work at dinner time and when ceasing work for the day for the purpose of washing. With regard to country work, it was asked that when such work was situated les3 than 50 miles from an employer's place of business the worker should be refunded his return railway fare .to and from his place of engagement once every four weeks during the continuance of the work. The minimum rates asked for were: For all journeymen painters, paper-hangers, glaziers, grainers, signwriters, decorators, leadlight workers, and all other journeymen working in any branch of tho trade except those specially provided for, not less than 2s 9d per hour on all jobs, the worker to bo responsible • for carrying out the work and giving instructions to the workers should bo paid not less than Is Gd x'er day extra.

Mr. C. G. Wilkin applied for exemption from the award for freezing companies, stating that such companies did not compete with master painters in outside work.

Mr. F. Cornwell opposed tho grantiiig of exemptions, stating that painters employed by factories did a certain amount of work which should bo done by members of the union.

His Honour said that it was obvious hat such men would have to be emJoyed on odd jobs when there was lot sufficient painting to keep them joing. It could not be expected that ;uch a man should join about, twenty--ive unions because he did twenty-five different classes of work. It was natural that the employers should use "<im to the best advantage.

Mr. Prime, opening the case for the oinployers, said with regard to. the men'a claim for five minutes off twice a day to wash themselves, that such a claim was utterly ridiculous and childish. It would involve the employers in-a cost of £5 7s 3d per man per •••ear, simply that they might wash themselves. There were 13 affiliated unions concerned in the proposal with a total ncmbership of 1547, not taking into ac.ount painters living in Taranaki, Marl>orough, and Westland. The total cost :o the employers would bo £8255 15s 9d •>er year. He submitted that the workers had failed to produce any evidence to show that conditions had changed in the trade during the past two years, in consequence of which he contended that the award last made should stand. The Court reserved its decision.