INDUSTRIAL MATTERS

Evening Star, Issue 22452, 24 September 1936, Page 17

INDUSTRIAL MATTERS

FREEZING WORKS EMPLOYEES CLERKS’ AND TYPISTS' UNION TO BE FORMED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 23. •A partial agreement was reached in the Conciliation Council in the Dominion dispute between the meat freezing works employees and the meat freezing companies. The hearing was continued to-day and concluded • tonight. The discussions were held ih committee. The clauses relating to the rates of pay for hourly workers and ordinary hours of work were referred to the Arbitration Court. Piecework rates of pay were fixed, and most of the other terms were agreed to. AUCKLAND, September 23. A Dominion union of clerks and typists employed by freezing companies and meat exporters is to be formed. The rules were approved by a meeting to-night. There has been a New Zealand Freezing and Allied Industries Guild since 1920, but until recently it has functioned mainly in the South Island. It was announced that the registrar of industrial unions had advised that the guild would bo registered as a union on the filing of suitable rules. When the rules have been approved in other centres they will be filed, and the guild will go out of existence. The union, to be known as the New Zealand Freezing and Related Industries Clerical Officers’ Industrial Union of Workers, will embrace the whole of the Dominion, and is expected to have a membership of between 700 and 800. The membership will he limited to clerical workers in the employ of companies which hold a license under the Slaughtering and Inspection Act or a meat export license. TIMBER AND DREDGING DISPUTES. GREYMOUTH, September 23. The clerk of awards, Mr Frank Bird, successfully deputised for the Conciliation Commissioner to-day when complete agreements were reached in both the timber and the dredging and alluvial gold mining disputes. The timber workers’ wages and conditions were substantially restored to the 1931 level. Dredge and alluvial miners’ wages were increased to the following daily rates :— Engineers, carpenters, electricians, welders, amalgamators, engine drivers, and bush foremen, £1; winchmeu, 19s; panners-off, motormen, bush winchmen, and tractor drivers, 18s ; others, 17s. _ Special provision was made for a minimum wage to alluvial miners of 16s. Red pine prices to-morrow will return to the 1931 level, and later white pine, for which there is a brisk demand from the North Island.