LOCAL BODY AWARD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 157, 21 July 1937, Page 10

LOCAL BODY AWARD

The Wellington and Hawke's Bay Agreements When, in February last, the Hawke's Bay Labourers' Union effeeted a settleipent in Conciliation of wages and conditions for men employed by piunicipalities in Hawke's Bay, the legality of the proceedings was questioned hy the VN^ellington JDistrict LabourerB' and Local Bodies' Workers Union, Siqce then tlie Wellington. Union has also seeured an. award, coveiing all municipalities in the Wellington district, and the Hawke's Bay Union and the Hawke's Bay omployers opposed the inclusion of Hawko's Bay in this award, A statement supplied by Mr P. M. Butler, secretary of the Wellington Union with reference to these awards, makes mention of the tollowihg points : 'Ihe Hawke's Bay Conciliation proceedings provide the following wages: Labourers 2/3 per liour, gardeners 2/3 per hour, oxplosivesuien 2/6 per hour, refuso collcctors 2/4 per hour, gangers 1 /- per day additional, bitumen und tar workers 2/4 per hour, It was stated at the tiine that after six months the workers ooncerned would be employed as weekly workers at £4 10/- per week.( , It now transpires that tho aetual phrasing of the seftlement is as follows: "After a period of six months the Local Body may*employ a workman on • weekly basis at the rate of £4 10/-

per week." It will be seen that the. actual settlejnent differs from what was claimed for it. On June 26 the Wellington Upion effeeted a settlement covering all the municipalities in the Wellington District. (It wiljt be noted that Hawke's Bay is part of the Wellington Industrial District.) ' The settlement effeeted by the Wellington District Union was as followe? A definite weekly waga of £4 10/- js laid down. If the weekly wage is nqt paid, then an hourly rate of 2/4 or £4 13/4 per week is to be paid. The wages are; Labourers £4 10/- per week or 2/4 per hour, gardeners £4 16/- per week, explosives men £5 per week 2/7 per hour, refuse coliectors £4 16/8 per week or 2/6 per hour, gangers 2/por day additional, bitumen and tar workers 1/- per day additional. We are being opposed by some of the officials of the Hawke's Bay- Union in our attempts to get better wages and couditions for the workers, because if the Hawke's Bay protest against our awqrd is upheld it will m6an that these increases will not be given to Hawke's Bay. I can understand the opposition of the einployers, but I cannot understand the opposition of a union to higher wages and better conditions, and for this reason we are seeking tlie ppjnion of the men affected at the meetings which we propose to hold. A meeting of the Hastings employees is to be held in the Premier Hall on Thursday night to discuss these points and a meeting is to be held on Friday night in Napier.