CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 247, 18 April 1912, Page 7

CONCILIATION COUNCIL.

CARPENTERS AND JOINERS' i DISPUTE. j SETTLEMENT ARRIVED AT. j Tlie dispute between the New Plymouth branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners' industrial Union of Workers and the employers of Taranaki was brought to a successful issue yesterday. A full agreement was arrived at in all the matters in dispute, with the exception of the preference clause, which the assessors were powerless to deal with, owing to the fact that the Employers' Association makes a point of opposing preference clauses under all circumstances in new awards. The only other matter which was referred to the Court of Arbitration was that in relation to the rate of wages for carpenters to the rate of wages for carpenters and joiners employed in factories. The men asked that this branch of the trade should be put upon the same footing as ordinary carpenters, and submitted that -that ruling had been upheld in Palmerston North, which district covered a similar number to that of Taranaki. It was agreed that a week's work shall consist of 47 hours. Hours of work were fixed at between 7.30 a.m. and 5 | p.m., except on Saturdays, when they shall be from 7.30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Actual time of commencing to be fixed by. the employer. The minimum wage for journeymen carpenters and joiners was fixed at Is 4',4d per hour. A worker in charge of four or more workers on an outside job shall receive not less than Is per day extra. The employers' j counter proposals were not agreed to. Wages are to be paid weekly or .fortnightly, and the time and method of payment were also amicably arranged. Provisions were also made that any worker who considers himself incapable of earning the minimum wage may be. paid such lower rates as may be decided after the usual formula has been complied with. Overtime is to be paid for as follows: —IFor the first two hours, time and a quarter; after that and up to 10 p.m., time and a half; after 10 p.m. till the recognised time of starting, if working continuously, double time; if' commencing at 0 a.m., time and a quar- I ter. Saturday afternoon work shall be paid for at the rate of time and a half, unless making up time lost through wet weather, when the first three hours shall ' be at ordinary rates. The recognised holidays are to be New Year's Day, Good 'Friday, Easter Monday. Labor Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Double rates shall be paid for work done on Sunday, Christmas Day and Good Friday, and on all other holidays, time and a half. Provision is also made for suburban and country work. Piecework is prohibited, except in respect of stairbuilding. Neither shall labor work be sub-let. Employers must also provide a properly secured place for workers' tools, and also proper sanitary conveniences. Propor facilities are to be provided by the employer for sharpening tophi. All workmen must have their tools in perfect order when starting for anew employer, but after working at new work for four weeks, or repairs for one week, must, if discharged, be allowed two hours' time for sharpening tools. There shall be one apprentice for every three journeymen or fraction of three. Ap-, prcntiecship shall be for a term of five years. Wages to be paid shall not be less than 10s for the first, 15s for the second, 20a for the third, 25s for the fourth, and 30s for "the fifth year. On country work apprentices shall be provided with board and lodging free. Other provisions regarding overtime, transfer and discharge of apprentices, are dealt with at length. The Taranaki Education Board is exempt from the award, except as regards hours of work, rates and payment of wages, and submouii and country work. The award is to operate over the whole of the industrial district of Taranaki, and is for a term of two years, unless superseded by a Dominion award. The assessors for the employers- rccommunled that the rate of "wages agreed upon for carpenters and joiners shaiild be payable as from April 1, 11)12, and they further recommended that the employers should, as far aspossible, observe the conditions of the recommendations arrived at, as from to-day. At the close of the proceedings Mr; W. Orcnfell, on behalf of the employers, moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Commissioner for the fair and impartial, tactful and patient manner in which he had controlled the proceedings. Mr. Ivor Hazell, in seconding the motion, on behalf of the Union, unhesitatingly affirmed that the settlement of the dispute was due to tiie tact, patience and ability exercised by the Commissioner. 'Messrs. Blatherwiek ?ud Arnold, for the Union, and Messrs. Brooking, Coleman and T3oon, for the employers, concurred with the words of the' previous speakers, and the motion was carried with acclamation. The Commissioner, Mr, T, Harle Giles, in reply, thanked those present for their appreciation of his services, and said that the dispute from its outset had been fraught with grave difficulties and complications. He recognised the able assistance rendered by the assessors on both sides, without whose cordial cooperation it would have been impossible to have arrived at such an amicable agreement.