CONCIATION COUNCIL

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1921, Page 4

CONCIATION COUNCIL

SAWMILL WORKERS AWARD

CRKYMOUTH, Novomlx-r 8. The sitting of the Council of Conciliation, over which Air W. Newton Conciliation Commissioner presided, wits contnncd when the application ot the Timber-yards and Sawmill Employees’ l'nion for n new award was further considered. Messrs W. .1. Cutler, .1. W. Caldwell, and J. Gilbert ' ere assessors for the employers and .Messrs T. Move, Ti. Topp, and i'\ L. Turley were assessors for the union.

The wanes clauses had been settled in the morning by the union assessors agreeing to continue the rates ol the present award. The remainder of the sitting was devoted to a lengthy discussion of mill conditions and the elassitu-ation of workers and. after the l'n ion’s applications had been considered clause by clause, it was decid'd P, i cfc|- most of th<' clauses to the Court, those agreed upon being claims either of a non-contentions nature or, on the lines of the present award. I Honrs of work were agreed •■non as follows: The hours of work shall not exceed 18 hours in any week, and. ex-

cept ,hy arrangement between the union exientire and the employers, the number of hours per day shall not exceed B|.

The overtime proposals and holiday clave *s were referred to the Arhitratiogn Court, ’line union assessors c! ■ lined the introduction of May Day and the days of the annual meeting and annual general meeting ol the Union, and with this the employers’ assessors eouhl not entirely agree. In the under-rate workers and nrefercncc clauses, it was agreed that the terms of the i ■ sent award should he adhered to. Th ■ib; s < ;ing to t ravelling time, emitts. supply of tools o v employers. convenient stacking ol fuel for engine-driver and fireman and tbe conditions of the payment of wages were referred to tin* Arbitiatiou (oiiit. 'flic elnims of the Union in regard to termiuatioin of employment, free supply of (irewood to workers and •"matters not provided for. ’ which were mainly in accordance with the previous award, were agreed to.

The (pit st ion of free lions** rent was referred to the Arbitration Court. The Union claimed that; “Ti an eniplocel ■re posts a worker to perform other duties other than he has been engaged to \ erfoiin it shall lie optional on the part ol' the employee wlmther he shall perform such work or not.- but il lie agrees to perform such work, ami such work be specified at a higher rate than that at which he is usually employed at he shall h<* paid such higher rat** while so einplovi *l, lint on no account shall a worker have his wages paid at a lower rate than that which he is usually paid.” This was referred to the Court.

The claims that it should lie compulsory lo provide bathing facilities at mills, and that where workers sign an order agreeing to the arrangement, the employer shall deduct the amount of the workers’ Union fee from his pay and hand same to the secretary of the Union upon presentation of the order, were referred to the Court. It was claimed by the l niun that on,* man should not he employed by himself while doing axe work, but should have a mate within calling distance. Ml Turley said the necessity of such a danse had been demonstrated by a fatal accident in the North Island, in which a man had bled to death through having his foot severed. This matter was referred to the Court.

The clauses relating to the operation and term of the award and definition of workers, and the employers’ coun-ter-proposals. were referred to the Court.