CONCILIATION COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 22461, 5 October 1936, Page 12

CONCILIATION COUNCIL

LABOURERS, QUARRYMEN, AND GOAL YARD EMPLOYEES TERMS CONSIDERED An industrial dispute between the Otago and Southland General Labourers, Builders’ Labourers, Quarrymen’s, and Coal Yard Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers and 121 employers in Otago and Southland was heard before the Conciliation Council this morning. The commissioner (Mr S. Ritchie) presided, and there were present as assessors: Employers Messrs D. A. O’Connell, W. Ellis, and W. H. Naylor; applicants—Messrs W. G. Cocking, A. B. Powell, and R. Harrison. In brief the claims of the union were;—The hours of work to be 40 a week, eight hours a day, to be worked on five days of the week between the hours of 7.30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Labourers’ pay not to bo less than £5 10s a week for any work performed in accordance with the above clause. Bricklayers’ labourers, steelworkers, and winchmen to be paid 2s 9d an hour, and all men erecting, dismantling scaffolding or erecting steelwork over 40ft high to be paid Is a day extra. Leading hands and leading scaffoldere to receive 3s an hour, and crane drivers 3s 2d an hour. When men are requested, to stand by during official functions or on similar occasions in connection witty the job their pay not to cease. An additional 3d an ■ hour to be paid to labourers employed on. demolition work, wheeling barrows on scaffolding, assisting to erect or repair baking ovens, handling plaster or cement, working concrete mixers, or in charge of derricks, engaged to work on scaffolds more than 40ft high, demolishing brickwork exceeding 12ft in height, and assisting in leadlight work. For labourers employed to work in wet places, or in wet weather, six hours to be considered a working day on Mondays to Fridays inclusive, and they to be "paid an additional 6d an hour while so employed. Watertight gumboots to be provided for men where they stand in water one inch in depth or over, and men required to wear rrumboots be entitled to an allowance of Is a day. Six hours to constitute a day’s work in wet places, tunnel work, or in foul air. The elimination of danger and the provision of a modern first-aid emergency kit are also provided for. Wages to be . paid weekly, and overtime to be paid for at the rate of time and a-half for the first three hours and thereafter double time, and double time for Sunday work. Statutory holidays and annual leave are detailed, and the wages of youths allowed for, of whom it is claimed: there should be not more than one to every five men, and the wages to be: Up to 13 rears, £3 14sj up to 19 \ears, —4 18s; up to 20 years, £5 10s. Suburban and country work is defined and the Claims for wages detailed, in addition to accommodation, etc. In their counter-claim the employers offered the following conditionsA week’s work to. consist of 44 hours, eteht hours to be worked on five days of the week and four on Saturdays. Where it is necessary to prepare material for work before or after the ordinary hours workers may be employed to do such necessary work at the ordinary rate of pay for not more than. half an hour before the ordinary time for commencing work. The scale of wages offered was: —Labourers in charge of derricks, cranes, or concrete mixers, or employed in hod-carrying, scaffolding, or wheeling bricks on scaffold Is lid an hour, all other labourers employed in connection with building operations Is lOd an hour. For contractors’ labourers a week’s work not to exceed 44 hours, and the working hours not to exceed eight on each of five days of the week and four on Saturdays, the employer to be able to work shifts at ordinary rates at other than the specified times. In tunnel work the hours not to exceed eight hours a day, with half an hour for crib, time. A tunnel was defined as being 20ft or more between shafts or must be timbered. A day’s work to consist of six hours in tunnel work, wet places, and foul air, and to be paid for as if eight hours had been worked. Workers in” wet places other than in a tunnel to receive Is a day extra. The wages offered were:—Labourers in tunnels, 2s Id an hour; labourers in trenches of 6ft or more, Is lid an hour; and labourers employed at asphalt or tar work, Is lid an hour; and labourers employed in concrete work, pick-and-shovef work, sewer work, kerbing and channelling, laying and cleaning drains, and all other work of the same kind, Is lOd l an hour. Conditions relating to all classes of labourers affected by the award were:—Overtime to be paid for at the rate of time and a-half for the first four hours, and double time thereafter. Work done on Christmas Day, Good Friday, or Sunday to be paid for at the rate of double time and work done on Now Year's Day. Easier Monday, Labour Day, or Box-

ing Day to be paid for at the rate of time and a-half. The minimum weekly rates of wages for youths to be: —Up to 17 years, £1 10s; up to 18 years, £1 17s 6d; up to 19 years, £2 ss; and up to 20 years, £2 12s 6d. The proportion of youths to be one to-every five men, and youths not to be shot-firers. Clauses were also included) dealing with accommodation, meal money, suburban and country work, the termination of employment, and under-rate workers. The terms and conditions were considered during the morning and ho agreement had been reached at the time the council adjourned for lunch.