MANAWATU-OROUA POWER BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2830, 6 January 1925, Page 3

MANAWATU-OROUA POWER BOARD.

RE-ADJTTJSTMENT OF WAGES. Judging hv the sensational head lines in our Palmerston morning contemporary, this morning, re the adjustment of wages in accordance with award conditions, for employees of the Manawatn-Oroua Power Board, il would almost appear that u strike was pending. Tlie Chief Engineer made the following- statement: — “XYe h.-ive for tlie past fortnight been going closely into the question of wages and speeding up the job. The bulk <}f the men come under the labourers’ award, which is 1/8 if per hour, with overtime at 2/4U This will now he the standard rate of pay hpf previously we have been paying 1/91. To about a dozen men who have had more experience we are now offering 1/101 as against 2/previouslv. The gangers will be paid 2/- per hour. This is in line with the usual rates for such work.” Asked as to what the men engaged on the Public Works transmission lines were paid, Mr Waters stated that he understood labourers were paid 1/9, linesmen and fitters 1/101 and gangers 2/-. These were the rates paid by at least one other Power Board also. The wages for a skilled electrician wiring houses, elc., who has to serve five years, were 2/2 an hour. An employee when interviewed by a “Times” representative stated “that the new rates were no good to him.” Men that were getting 2/3 pci- hour go hack to two hob, (hose getting 2s go to 1/104, while the rank and file drop fd per hour. “But,” he added, “if we were allowed to put in longer time during the summer months we will he about as we were.” Further enquiries elicited the information that one man refused to start and was duly paid off at 9 a.m.