BAKERS’ WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1921, Page 8

BAKERS’ WAGES.

WORKERS’ SEEK INCREASE. FULL SETTLEMENT ARRIVED AT. As the result of an application by the Taranaki Bakers’ and Pastry Cooks’ Union for a new award regarding wages and conditions, the Conciliation Council sat at New Plymouth yesterday to discuss the matter. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. T. Harle Giles, of Auckland) presided. Messrs A. Angus, W. Elder and F. J. Lyons (New Plymouth) were the assessors for the Union, and the employers’ representatives were Messrs. E. May (New Plymouth), G. Young (Inglewood) and J. Somerton (New Plymouth), with the secretary of" the Employers’ Association (Mr. C. H. Wynyard). FORTY-SIX HOUR WEEK. The Union asked for a 40-hour week, eight hours on five days and six hours on one day; starting time to be not earlier than 6 a.m.; all. work to cease between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. The following was the wages schedule submitted: Foreman baker, £5 10s; journeyman baker or pastry cook, £5 per week; any journeyman employed as fl doughman exclusively to be paid 10s extra; jobbers, not less than 18s per day of eight hours and not less than half a day’s work in any event; overtime, at the rate of time and a half for the first three - hours, and double time thereafter. If a workman is required, including sponging and doughing, on Sundays, or the following holidays: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, and Easter Monday, he shall be paid double time rates. The following holidays were set out as subject to time and a half rates: January .2, Anniversary Day, King’s Birthday and Labor Day in addition to the weekly wage, all work to cease in bakehouses on the trade picnic day. One week’s holiday on full pay was also asked. Apprentices' wages ranged from £l6s for the first six months, up to 60s per week for the eighth six months. EMPLOYERS’ PROPOSALS. ‘

The employers submitted as counterproposals the old award dated November 2, 1913. This provided a fortyeight hour week, daily hours to be regulated according to the provisions of the business, but so that any time worked in excess of ten hours in any one day by any worker shall be reckoned and paid for as overtime, whether or not such worker shall have worked 48 hours in that week. The hours for starting work, it was stipulated, should not be earlier than 4 a.m., except on a Saturday or the -day immediately preceding a public holiday, when work may be started an hour earlier: in the event of a double holiday operations may be commenced two hours earlier, namely, 2 a*.m.

Any employer who desires his workers to start earlier than two in the morning was required to pay double time. The minimum wages were set out as follows: Foreman baker or pastry cook, £4 2s Gd per week; journeymen, £3 12s Gd: bdkens’ laborers, £3 per week. Tn country bake-houses where only one journeyman is employed the following wages may be paid: On an output of 2099 21b loaves per week, £4 12 s- Gd; 1500 loaves, £3 17s Gd per week; 1250 loaves, £3 12s Gd; under 1250, £3 7s fid. The above rates were subject to a bonus of 14s per week. Overtime: Time and a quarter from the customary time of ceasing work up to G p.m.; time and a half from G p.m. to 9 p.m.; double time from 2 a.m. Jobbers not less than Us per day of eight'hours. Apprentices’ rates under the existing award were 12s Gd per week for the first, six months, up to £1 10s per week for the eighth six months. Overtime 9d per hour. CONCILIATION SUCCESSFUL.

After some discussion in committee a J full agreement was arrived at. The k hours of work remain the same as in ' the old award and wages adjustments were made as follows: Foremen bakers and pastry cooks, £5 4s- per week: journeymen, £4 14s; bakers’ laborers, £4 4s; jobbers, not less than 13s Gd pel* day of eight hours, and if einployed/-for more than four hours not less than 2s per hour. Apprentices’ rates were doubled. An additional holiday, namely January 2, was put on to the list of those previously granted. The boarding of workers, meal -hours, employment of females, termination of engagement, and under-rate workers will continue as on the terms of the old award. The new award will come into force on March 7, and continues till March, 1922. Proceedings were characterised by the utmost good feeling on both sides, and at the close of the sitting Mr. G. Young, for the employers’ assessors, thanked. the Commissioner for the able way in which he had presided, stating the good advice and assistance he had rendered had in no small way contributed to the successful issue arrived at. Mr. F. J. Lyons endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker, and also ex s pressed his gratification at the reasonable manner in which the employers had met the Union. He felt sure that the good relationship which had existed between employers and workers in Taranaki would be further confirmed as the result of the proceedings. Mr. Giles briefly replied and remarked that he had established a record in settling two disputes, namely, those of the butchery and bakery trade in one day.