CONTRACT WAGES

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1931, Page 6

CONTRACT WAGES

TAWA FLAT .STOPPAGE EXPLAINED. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association) WELLINGTON. April If. Consequent upon the statement th;i( their rates ol wages were to lie reduced. the tunncllcrs employed on Town Flat railway deviation refused to continue work. Mr Cook, secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, stated to-day that, all the co-operative contractors on the public works jobs throughout New Zealand received notice last week that their co-operative rates were going to he reduced by from 40 per emit, to 75 per cent. In one ease on th,. Stratford main trunk, the previous price paid for single track railway lunnelling was £lO 12s. whereas the new contract had reduced (lie rate to £4 18s. At Tawa Flat the average reduction was about 52 per cent. “This also applies to all outside co-operative parties working in contracts and on other classes of construction work.” stilted Air Cook. “New contracts were presented to t lk* men. Thev refused to sign them, and were fold there was no further work. This position applies not only to Tawa Flat, but to nil the other tunnel jobs throughout the country, 'file only exceptions are men who are working on day wages.” The Alinister of Public Works, in a sl it foment. conE'iided that the basic y.ii’o. for tnnnellm-s was not being 10'v- ,.,.('(|. It had stood at IPs a day for smile time past. In* said. With a v *ew to effecting economies and reducin'’' the cost: of construction t-ho Cabin'd' recoiCtlv decided that. d l ’ o average wage for tumielh'rs, which had something over 32s a day of ei'dd hours, was too high. \s a result of Cabinet’s decision. instructions had !■eon issued to readjust, the system o' payment.