FLAX AND LABOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1003, 6 February 1912, Page 3

FLAX AND LABOUR.

CUTTERS’ AND TRAMMERS’ NEW DEMANDS.

Business of a fairly important nature was discussed at the halfyearly meeting of the Flaxmill Employees’ Union on Saturday afternoon, among other things being the question of the conditions of flaxcutting and tramming. The employees have been moving in the direction of getting a •number ot alterations made in lespect of the conditions at present prevailing. Some of these have been agreed to by the Flaxmillers’ Association, while in regard to others, it is stated, no satisfactory arrangement has been come to. These questions were discussed very fully at Saturday's meeting, and a resolution was passed in the following terms : “That this meeting expresses regret at the unsatisfactory replies received from the Flaxmillers’ Association

to their requests for alteration

of the conditions of the work

of the men employed in the swamps; that the Union requests an immediate answer to each of the clauses embodied in their claims, and that failing this they will call a mass meeting to deal with the matter either within or without the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act,”

It was resolved, further, that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the Flaxmillers’ Association.

THE UNION’S CONDITIONS

The following are the conditions of work as set out by the Employees’ Union :

(i) That all flax shall be weighed at the tram end. No averaging to be done. (2) Tickets of weights of flax cut to be given to each cutter every day. (3) When trams have been laid cutters shall not be allowed to load the flax on trams, but the trammer may engage one man as loader, who shall be allowed to cut flax in his spare time. The minimum rate for loading shall be (xl per ton- (4) When flax has been cut lor two days without being weighed, an allowance of xcwt per ton shall be made for depreciation, and icwt. per ton extra for each succeeding day. This clause not to apply when the swamp is under water, or when the delay has been due to fire. (5) In the event ol the employer and cutters being unable to agree as to price, the employer shall appoint one representative and the cutters one, These two shall appoint a third, and these three shall settle the price, but in no event shall flax be cut for less than 5s a ton. (6) When cutters are cutting flax which is carted by drays from the swamp, an additional is per ton shall be allowed for loading, and the employer shall provide the necessary labour for making roads. (7) That at any time when flax is being weighed, cutters or their representatives shall be allowed to inspect weighing. (8) That all tramming be piecework. In the event of the trammer and the employer being unable to agree as to price, the employer shall appoint one representative and the trammer one. These tuo shall appoint a third, and these three shall settle the price, but in no event shall flax be trammed for less than 2s per ton over iron rails, and 2s 6d per ton over wooden rails, or on a sliding scale based on the crop per acre, which shall not work out at less than the above rates on a crop of 30 tons to the acre. (9) That in the event of flax being cut more than 1 x /i chains from tram, the cutter shall carry it to the i l /2 chain mark, and there stack it. The employer shall provide labour for carrying the additional distance, (10) That no employee shall be compelled to board at the cookhouse, and in the case ol workers who are married an allowance shall be made lor each day that they are absent, provided they give notice on the previous day of their intention to be away. CLAUSES IN DISPUTE. In respect of clause 1, there is practically no dispute, With regard to clause 2, it is stated that though some millers give tickets at present, others do not, and the position is therefore rather unsatisfactory. Clause 3 is stated to be one of the principal clauses in dispute, to which no definite reply has been received from I he employers. It is held by the employers that clause 4 is covered by the award, which states that for flax that has been cut longer than three days, the average per bundle of the cutters’ previous weights shall be taken, and payment made accordingly. The Union holds that this is not satislactcry. Thirty bundles are usually considered to be equal to a ton, but when the flax has been lying in the swamp, say, tor a week it depreciates in weight, and it takes more than thirty bundles to the ton. Consequently they ask that when the flax has lain more than two days without being weighed, an allowance oi icwt, per ton be made for depreciation. Clause 5 is also in dispute, as at present there is no minimum fixed, and prices range trom 4s 6d to 6s, depending to some extent on whether loading is included or not. In regard to clause 6, the employers, it is stated, are prepared to make the roads, but are not prepared to give the extra shilling tor loading. Clause 7 is not in dispute. The employers agree to the first portion of clause 8, regarding piecework. Clause 9 is iu dispute, iuc award states that in cases such as that mentioned, reasonable extra payment shall be made, but the question is to decide what is reasonable extra payment. In respect oi

clause 10, the employers ask for 48 hours’ notice, whereas the Union only wish to give 24, as they state that in the majority of cases the men do not know 48 hours before whether they will be away or not.

Although the discussion was at times somewhat heated on Saturday, it is not considered likely that there will be any serious trouble. It is held that another conference will in all probability be arranged, at which an amicable agreement should be arrived at.— Manawatu Standard.

The provisions of the Award dealing with flaxcuttiug and tramming are as follows : “The rate for cutting flax shall be settled as heretofore by agreement between the employer and the worker. When trams have been laid, it shall not be obligatory on cutters to place their flax on the trams. Should flax lie cut in the swamp longer than three days, an average per bundle of cutter’s previous weights shall be taken, and payment shall be made accordingly. This provision shall apply if it is found impossible to get the flax out of the swamp. Cutters shall not be required to carry flax a distance exceeding a chain and a hall without reasonable extra payment.” A meeting of the Executive of the New Zealand Flaxmillers’ Association will be held at Palmerston North at n a.m. on Thursday next, when the above demands will be discussed.