FLAX WORKERS’ DEMANDS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1166, 1 November 1913, Page 4

FLAX WORKERS’ DEMANDS.

FOR INCREASED WAGES AND SHORTER HOURS.

At a meeting of the Mauawatu Flaxmill Workers’ Union held recently in Palmerston, it was decided to formulate new demands for an award under the Arbitration Act. The last award took effect on April 30, 1910, and expired on March 31, 1913- The Union’s new proposals, it is under* stood, are generally for increased pay, shorter hours of work and altered conditions, details of which are as follows : HOURS OF WORK.

The demands set out that a week’s work shall not exceed 44 hours, inclusive of the time ueces sary in making preparation for the ordinary work of the mill. The award under which the employees now work stales that except where otherwise expressly prescribed the week’s work shall not exceed 48 hours, exclusive of the time occupied by a worker in getting up steam lor the machinery in the mill or the work in which he is employed, and exclusive of tbe time, in the case of a driver, required for necessary attendance to horses.

RATES OF PAY

The following table shows tbe differences in the rale of pay per hour as set out in tbe new demands and the last award :

Horse drivers to receive £3 per week (one horse) and an extra 5s per week for each additional horse, as against the old award rale of 6s per week for one or more horses.

The minimum rate of pay asked for flaxcutling is 5s 6.1 per ton instead of 4s g<3, as at present. Minimum rate for scutching to le piece work paddockiug from April to September £1 7s 6d per ton Ift against the present rate of £1 3s 6d pet ton, and from October to March £ 1 5s per ton as against &- THE PRESENT RATES.

The millers are at present paying more than the award rates, increases having been granted when flax values rose. Some cf th.se are as lollows : Scutchers 28s per ton, culteis 5s 6d to 6s per ton, bench loaders is 2d per hour, washers is per hour, rouseabouts is 2d to is 3d per hour, and tow pressers is 3d per hour. Whereas overtime is paid under the present agreement at the rate of lime and a quarter for the first tm hours, and thereafter at the rate of time and a half, the new demands ask that the first hour of overtime shall be paid tor at the rate ot time and a quarter, and thereafter at time and a half. In addition to the holidays already observed the employees in their new demands stipulate for the days on which the Union holds its annual picnic and its halfyearly aud yearly meeting. Work done on any of the days specified to be paid for at the rate of double time.

The following provision for smoking is also asked for : “Kach employer shall allow an interval of at least ten minutes in the forenoon and ten minutes in the alterucon for smoking.”

A number of new minor clauses are also inserted under the general heading.

New Old Award Award. s d s d Feeders i 6 i 3 Washers i 4 i i Sorters i 3 I 0 Tow Shakers i 3 1 0 Paddockers i 6 i Beuchloaders i 4 i i Rouseabouts i 3 o o Other labour i 3 I 0