CYCLE WORKERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 120, 19 April 1940, Page 10

CYCLE WORKERS.

NEW AWARD SOUGHT. HOURS AND WAGES. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 18. The classification of hours of work, wages, and provisions relating to employment of females were the principal questions in dispute when the cycle workers sought a new Dominion award and higher wages in the Court of Arbitration to-day. The Court reserved its decision. Mr G. T. Thurston, of Christchurch, apjreared as the workers’ advocate and Mr W. J. Mountjoy, of Wellington, as the employers’ advocate. The union asked that cycle stand attendants be included in the award, said Mr Thurston. In. a number of cities there were establishments which catered for the parking of cycles, and attendants were required to make minor adjustments, but were not included in any award. Referring to the hours of work, Mr Thurston said the union did not expect the Court to make a great alteration, but ho considered there should be some amendments to the wording of the clause and that the hours should be clocked between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the first five days of the week. The question of wages was dealt with at length by Mr Thurston, who quoted from previous awards to prove his contention that the margin between cycle workers and tradesmen under the engineers’ awards had been 13d on the hourly rate of pay till 1938. Jn that year the Court had awarded cycle workers 2s 63d an hour and the union claimed that the increasing of the margin at that time was not justified. The union was asking the Court, Mr Thurston added, to award wages that would make the margin between engineers and eyele workers not greater than l-'d an hour. EMPLOYERS’ CASE. The employers opposed the inclusion of cycle stand attendants in the classification of workers, said Mr Mountjoy, but were .prepared to agree to a subclause stating that nothing in the award should apply to persons solely employed as cycle stand attendants unless they performed work covered by the provisions of the award, which should not include inflation of tyres or replacement of valve tubes. Mr Mountjoy said the employers asked for the provisions of the hours of work clause in the current award with a slight amendment. They wore agreeable to a 40-hour week and a five-day week in any wholesale mass production factory, but' required the retention of the 53day week in retail establishments. It was also submitted that there was no real argument in favour of departing from the rates fixed bv the Court in the current award. The employers claimed that the rates at present paid were fair and reasonable and came into line with the rates paid to other workers in other industries. “It is further claimed.” Air Mountjov added, “that any increase made will have to be borne by the employers unless the Price Tribunal agrees to if being passed on to the public.” Mr Monntjov said provision was also wanted for'the'emplovment of female workers in mass production factories.