WORK AND WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1919, Page 2

WORK AND WAGES.

THE SHEARERS* DISPUTE. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Cliristclun'cli, Last Night. Before the Conciliation Council, the dispute between the Canterbury Sheep Owners' Union and the Canterbury Shearers' Union was heard. The dispute was rather unusual, in that the case was brought by the employers and not by the workers- The employers' main proposals were hours of work from 5 a.m. to 5-p.m., shearing to stop at 4 p.m. on Saturdays; rates of pay 25s per 100, with ratiors, in addition to a bonus of 5s per 100; in cases where the shearers find their own rations an extra 4s per 100 is to be paid; the rule for stud sheep shall be settled by agreement; the rate for shearing hogget rams to be rate and a half, and for other rams double rates; for shed hands, prcssers, and rollers 47s (id per week; all other hands 455, cooks Das, cooks' assistants 455, in addition to a-bonus per 100 to all weekly hands; pressers and rollers, when not employed by the week, shall be paid Is 5d per hour, other shed hands Is 4d, in addition to a bonus of 3d per hour, where workers provide their own rations, an cvtra, 15s per week shall be paid. The workers asked for 32s (Id per 100, with rations and double rates for shearing n>ms, stags, ; and double fleeced sheep. Five pounds' per week was askett lot rollers, and £4 for other shed hands, cooks £Q to £B, and cooks' assistants £5 10s.

After consideration, a flat rate of 30s was agreed to, but no settlement was reached regarding the payment of shed hands, cooks' hours, rates for double fleeced sheep, dragging, fares of learners, waiting time, crutching or employment of hutkeeper. Many other clauses were agreed to, among them being those relating to the methods of payment of workers, control of sheds, free grazing and contract work. The employers also undertook to import £3OO worth of hand shears and sell them at cost price through the union. The clauses on which no agreement was reached were referred to the Arbitration Court.