WAR BONUS TO WORKERS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 261, 23 March 1917, Page 3

WAR BONUS TO WORKERS.

Alleged Breach of Award.

Pukekohe Borough Coun-

cil's Position.

At the meeting of the Pukekohe Borough Council held on Wednesday a letter was read from the Officer-m-charge of the Department of Labour, Auckland, stating that the Council had committed a bieach of the Northern District Local Bodies Award in failing to pay the war bonus prescribed by clause 2, paragraph (c) of the said Award. The writer pointed out that in May of last year the Council decided to give the married men in their employ Is per day in addition to the wages then being paid. When the Award came into force in October last the employees were informed by the Council, through the Foreman, that they were discharged but if they liked they could start the following morning at Award rates and when the men resumed work they were paid the rate prescribed by the Award and ten per cent bonus. That was a distinct breach of the Award. Paragraph (b) of clause 2 provided that all workers rec jiving a higher rate of pay than provided by the award at the time of the coming into operation of the award should not have their wages reduced whi'e in the same employment, and paragraph (c) prescribed that in addition to those wages a war bonus of ten per cent upon the said rates should be paid. As the Council had made a reduction in the men's wages before adding the ten per cent war bonus that appeared to bo a distinct breach of the Award. The Officer

therefore requested that the Award * shsuld be strictly complied with and that the arrears of wages due to the workers-since October last should be paid either direct to the workers and receipts forwarded to the Labour Office, or to the Labour 0 Hice to be disbursed to the workers concerned. Failing that it would be his (the writer'e) duty to take action for enforcement of the Award. Following on the reading of the

letter the Mayor (Mr H. G. R. Mason) stated that the circumstances were that the men g>t war bonus

before the Award was made and that

they were now taking advantage of their legal position to secure an extra bonus. In other words they would get a double war bonus and he did

not think such was the intention of the Award although from its wording the men might be entitled to it. In

his opinion it was a pure guibble and a contemptible use of the Council's earlier grant of a war bonus. Personally he did not feel inclined to pay the extra amount unless they were compelled to do so. In reply to a question the Town Clerk explained that prior to the Council giving a 1/- per day war bonus to married men the wages paid were 9/- per day. Under the Award all the men had been paid 9/4 per day plus ten per cent or a fraction over 10 3 per day.

Cr Barter favoured the Council's position being defined in Court and on his motion, seconded by Cr Hubbard, the matter dropped with the letter being formally " received."