CARPENTERS' WAGES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 695, 22 November 1933, Page 6

CARPENTERS' WAGES

BLUE BATH WORKERS GIVEN SLIGHT INCREASE AWARD RATES REFUSED When the Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, was in Rotorua during August representations were made to him regarding the payment made to skilled workmen employed upon the Blue Bath buliding. Messrs. W. J. Alexander and W. J. Carrington, chairman and secretary of Rotorua branch of the Carpenters' and Join ers' Union, urged that these men should be paid award rates and that arrangements should he made to pay workmen fortnightly instead of monthly. It was pointed out that private contractors had to pay award rates and that .it was most difficult in the present stringent financial circumstances for the men to carry on for a month at a time between pays. Mr. Bitchener promised to look into the matter and has addressed the following letter to Mr. C. H. Clinkard, M.P. : — "You will recollect that when you introduced to me at Rotorua on August 23 last, Messrs. Alexander and Carrington, chairman and secretary, respectively, of the Rotorua branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, they repeated a request which had previously been made for award rates of wages to be paid to carpenters employed on completion of the Blue Bath building, and also enquired whether the men could not he paid fortnightly. "I have been investigating the rates of wages of temporary artisans in the employ of the Public Works Department, and have found that lower rates are paid in some districts than in others. "Although I am unable at present to grant a general inerease in wages to tradesmen or agree to pay current award rates, I have instructed that uniform rates are to be paid throughout the department as from October 1, 1933, with the reservation that no reduction is to be made in the case of a few employees — mostly permanent casuals — who are at present receiving more than those rates. "The new rates for carpenters are second grade ls 8d, and first grade ls 95d per hour. "District engineers have heen requested to proceed immediately with classification of temporary tradesmen, and to have arrears paid as from October 1, 1933, to men who are at present receiving less than the new rate for their grade. "As the carpenters on the Blue Bath building were specially selected men, probably the district engineer will classify them as first grade, and in that case their rate of wages will be increased from ls 8d to ls 9|d per hour with back pay from 1st ultimo. Men who have left the employ of the department since October 1, 1933, will not, of course, be entitled to any back pay. "I have also considered the request for fortnightly pays on this work, but regret that, as indicated at the deputation, I am unable to depart from the present system of monthly pays on public works, prineipally because this would necessitate a large inerease in the staff and administration expenses of the department." While the offieials of the union are pleased with the small inerease in wages conceded by the Minister they point out that it is hardly fair that the men who have been put off the job since October 1 should not be allowed to participate. At least two men who have been working at the low rate for the last three months have been put off early this month and through no fault of their own will not be allowed to participate in the slight inerease granted by the Minister.