CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 17, 21 January 1915, Page 8

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

PAINTERS' AND DECORATORS' DISPUTE. Under the presidency of Mr T. Hnrle Giles, the Council met it the Town Hall, New Plynioucfi, yesterday, to. hear a dispute between the Taranaki Painters' and Decorators' Industrial Union of Workers ajtd Messrs Bcllringer Bros., and 73 other firms engaged in the painting and decorating trade in the Taranaki district. The asserts ?-" the employers wore Messrs C. 1). Sole (Stratford), John Witfcie (Hawera), u:id F. 0. J. Bellringer (New Plymouth^; and for tht Union Messrs William Bourne YWanganni), William Shephard (New Plymouth), and Harry Yoght (Stratford), The Union had filed claims based on tho last award and deviating from it very slightly. The Council spent the morning in hearing applications for exemption from several dairy companies in the district, the New Plymouth Harbor Board, and others, and was occupied during the afternoon in hearing of evidence on the main issues .

After a very amicable conference,an agreement was arrived at by the Council, tbe principal provisions being a three years' agreement to a minimum wage of Is 3d per hour, subject to a revision at the end of six months if trade conditions improve; compulsory preference to unionists, but tbe union to bear the onus of proving that the employee is a unionist, tbe employer merely notifying the union of the worker's engagement. Exemptions were granted to the Midhu'st. Stratford, and Tariki dairy companies. their representatives giving an assurance that tbe companies would not employ other than permane it employees in painting work; also to the Now Plymouth Sash and Door Timber Co. and the New Plymouth Harbour Boa nl.