FLAXMILL WORKERS.

Shannon News, 8 July 1927, Page 3

FLAXMILL WORKERS.

NEW WELLINGTON AWARD. WAGES AND OVERTIME. The Arbitration Court, in giving its award in tlie Wellington district flaxmills dispute, states that the only matersreferred to the Court were wages, overtime and term of awaid. Tie deuce and argument submitted to the Court were voluminous, but not sum ciently precise in detail to enable the Court' to arrive at a clear understanding as to the earnings of the workers. Some rates have been increased and others have been left as at present In view of possible changes in the methods of flax-milling, and of alterations m the conditions affecting the industry, the Court reserves the right to suspend, alter, amend, or vary any of the provisions of this award, either of its own motion, or, with the leave of the Court first obtained, upon the application ot anv party to this award. Mr Scott did not agree, in every case, with the decision of the Court in respect of the wage increases awarded. WAGES AND RATES OF PLAY. The Court fixed the minimum rates of wages as follow: — Feeders, pressers, and graders, 3s pei hour; stripper keepers, 2s 3Jd per hour; horse drivers, £4 ss. per week. No deduction shall be made from tins weekly wage for bad weather or holidays, or for any other cause other than for tune lost through the worker’s default, and this wfige shall include attendance to horses on Sunday, week days, and holidays'- , , Paddoekers, Is .10-Jd pev hour; workers not otherwise specified, Is. per hour; automatic scutchers,-2-press, 16s. 6d. per ton; 1-press, 17s. 6d. per ton; hand scutchers, with power press, 31s. per ton; without power, press, 325, per ton; without pressing, 255. per ton; paddocking, winter, 28s. per ton; summer, 255. per ton; carting (extra), Bs. 6d. per ton. _ i. , Winter is April to September inclusive, and summer is October to March inclusive.

Compulsory stacking, 2s. 6d. per ton; cutting flax, 'hook 7s. 6d. per ton, knife 16s. per ton. . ‘ 1 Cutting flax” shall mean and include cutting, tying, carrying and stacking at a convenient place for loading in trucks or drays. Tramming by arrangement; scales shall be provided by the employer; the wages of cooks and their assistants shall be ‘ settled by agreement betwen the employer and the worker. EMPLOYMENT OF YOUTHS.

Employers may employ youths in or about the work of flaxmilling at not less than the following rates per week: From 15 to 16 years, £1 10s.; from 16 to 17, £1 155.; from 17 to 18, £2 35.; from 18. to 19, £2 135.; from 19 to 20, £3 35.; over 20 years of age, award rate of wages for adults. OVERTIME.

All time worked in excess of eight and three-quarter hours on any day shall be deemed to be overtime, and shall be paid for at the rate of time and a half for the first, four hours and double time thereafter; provided that with regard to paddoekers and fibre-carters the rates shall be time and a quarter for the first two hours and time and a half thereafter. The award will come into force on July 11, 1927, and shall continue in force until July 11, 1929.