WORK AND WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 143, 4 November 1912, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

THE REEFTON STRIKE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Reefton, Last Night. A mass meeting of the Miners' Union was largely attended. The representatives of the union to the conference with the miner-owners stated that matters had gone as far as the union could go, and a certain point was being referred to the Mine-owners' Association. Nothing concerning the details was divulged, and the meeting adjourned till Sunday nexC NEW PRINTING AWARD. Wellington, Saturday. The printers' Dominion award divides the towns into two classes, viz., over and under'2soo of a circulation. Linotype and monotype operators in the four cities are to receive for day work £3 14s fid, for night work £4 2s per week. IAII others £3 10s and £3 16s respectively. Monoline rates are: First division ■£3 (is and £3 12s, second division £3 and £3 6s. Simplex: First division £3 and £3 6s, second £2 15s and £3 Is. Bulk hands in the cities will receive £3 6s for day work and £3 10s for night work.

Youths and girls may be employed as justiflers or spacers on simplex machines, and as caster attendants on monotypes, at wages to be agreed upon. Speed efficiency oil linotypes remains as before, except that 7000 is the minimum required in fifteen months; on monolines 4500 is the minimum. Piece work rates .-.re unaltered, except that night operators get one-tenth extra. Overtime on machines counts time and a half, and on hand-work time and a third.

Apprentices may not be employed on machines till they have had two years' instruction as compositors. Blocks shall be charged for by the operator. For handwork the rates are: First division, day £3 ss, night £3 10s; second division £2 5s and £3.

No proportion of apprentices appears to have been fixed for machines, but for handwork the proportion is one for the house and one for each three journeymen.

Weekly wages under the award are not subject to deduction, save for holidays or through sickness or default of workers.

Preference is given to unionists if there is a member of the local union qualified and willing to take the place of the non-unionist, but this does not apply to female workers. The award is for three years until October 31, 1915. The Court states it found it impossible to provide for readers.