Conciliation Board.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8190, 16 May 1906, Page 6

Conciliation Board.

Tho Co&cinrorkers' Dispute, The Conciliation Board continued its consideration of the coach workers' dispute after we went to press yesterday afternoon. As reported yesterday the Board went into conference on the matter shortly before the luncheon adjournment, and did not resume in open meeting until after 1.30 p.m. The position of » flairs before the conference as reported by the chairman, Mr P. J. O'Regan, was us follows :— There were 12 ciauses in the Union's claim for a new awatu, the employers putting forward Ki counter proposals. The chief difficulty existed in connection with the rate of wages. At present the minimum rate in Wellington city and other portions of the industrial district to which the award applies is Is 3d per Lour. Tbo Union wishes to increase this to Is Gd, while the employers offer Is 2d. The existing hours of labor arc 4S per week. Tin: employers desire uo change but the Union wants a. reduction to 4i. As to piece work, at present this is forbidden in every portion of the industrial district under the award. The Union desires the award to govern the whole district, but employers in some pans want piece work retained The Union also asks for prcforer.'.k; treatment, the organisation bei".g open to any man willing to pay "2s 6u tmrraneo fee and a weekly subscription of Oi, The employers oppose this request. The Chairman reported us follows on the result of the conference : - They had entirely failed to agree in regard to the rate of wages or the hoars of labor. A suggestion put forward by the Employers defining the duties of " helpers" had been accepted by the Union. In regard :o the vexed question of piece work, after a long discussion. Mr Wcstbrookc agreed tu submit m hi;< Union a proposal put forward by iho Ihnplovers that men working for f-ue---. workers should be paid at Je»3t Is per hour, and that n •' log" should be prepared by She- Jsoar«l. Mr Beit had undertaken to as c ist Mr YVestbrooke by ienuu.g the " log " under which h;» iirm paid thr-ir men, As far as? pii/ioreuec to CiuonL-t* «;p cuu eerrid, it had been found impossible to arrive at any compromise. CJai:.-.e 10, deah'r.-g with permit* for imder-rate workers, hud been umonded in the direction of allowing the applications for permits to be made in the Jirst instance to the S.M. oi the district. instead of to the chairman of the Board an hitherto. The chairman al-o reported that the local employers had acquiesced in all the com-promises arrived at by employer- in other portions of the d?strict where the Hoard had sat. All but four <)! the clauses in the Union's demands had been met by an agreement between the parties here. On behalf of the employers Mr Greuviile pointed out that no evidence had been brought forward by the Union ii: support of its elamis, particularly as to piece work, lie therefore would call no witnesses on the point, but would have been quite prepared to brme forward rebutting evidence it m-cessary. Mr Westbrooke, for the Union, said hi' did nut intend to cull any evidence. The Board then adjourned to Vfaugiir.ui.