HOTEL WORKERS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1926, Page 4

HOTEL WORKERS

DOMEX lOX AWARD SOEGILT. WEI.UXGTOX. April .11, Conditions ol employment in licensed hotels throughout the Dominion are under review at a conciliation sitting which opened before the local commissioner. .Mr W. Xcwton, to-day. The Xew Zealand Federated Hotel and Restaurant Employees Association filed claims for a Dominion award, and the

employers have prepared counter proposals. The assessors for the employees arc Messrs A. Jackson (Auckland), H. O’Malloy (AVelliiigton), J. Goodall (Greymoutb), R. A. Brooks (Christchurch), G. S. Thomson (Dunedin) and R. Viall (Wellington), and the assessors for the employers are Messrs P. Coyle (Ohinga.iti). P. J. Griffin (Wellington), J. Griffin (Auckland). M. O’Brien (Otautau), A. Rose (Christchurch) and R. Marshall (Timaru). Mr J. AFKetyde is acting as agent for the workers and Air B. L. Hammond as agent for the employers. Some time was devoted to going through claims and counter claims seriatim to ascertain which were most contentious. The council then proposed a discussion upon the principal clause in dispute. Air Al’Kenzie protested against the employers’ wage proposals as not affording a sufficient standard of living especially as far as married male workers were concerned. Air Hammond contended that men in the trade were the best paid unskilled workers in New Zealand, bar none, having regard to the nature of their work. He pointed out that employers were under statutory obligation to provide accommodation for them and supply them with meals. A brief exchange of views was provoked as to the nature of accommodation and quality of food provided. Air Hammond declared that, so far as the emnloyers were concerned, it would he a waste of time to discuss any deviation from the wages conditions they proposed. The trade was at bursting point at the present time, and they could not see their way to give any increase. If the employees’ conditions are Insisted upon, said .Mr Coyle, it is going to mean that the number of workers under the award will be reduced, because people in charge of licensed houses will comply with the minimum requirements of the law. Air Al'Keny.ie denied that tlit* workers were paid higher wages than any other unskilled workers in the Dominion . " To my mind.” remarked one of the federation assessors, “the employers' demands practically ask the employees to thieve to make up their wages.” Several of the contentious clauses were discussed and the proceedings were adjourned until Monday.