LABOUR AND TOWN INDUSTRIES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9526, 25 June 1909, Page 5

LABOUR AND TOWN INDUSTRIES.

TERMS OF ANOTHER ARBITRATION AWARD. WELLINGTON DRIVERS' DISPUTE. SIXTY-ONE MASTERTON BUSINESSES AFFECTED. Contemporaneously with the advent of the Butter ancj .Cheese Factories Award, affecting rural interests, comes another instalment of labour sub-legislation, this time dealing almost solely with town industries. This latter award is the one given by His Honour Judge Sim in the demands of the Wellington Drivers'' Union, and the country award affects sixty-one Masterton firms, embracing 21 industries. Following are extracts from the award, dealing with the outstanding features:—

Hours of Work.—Except where otherwise provided, a week's work shall bo 47J hours, exclusive of the time required for necessary attendance to horses, and any reasonable time occupied in going to and from work and stables, but not exceeding 15 minutes each way. Irrespec tive of whether the above number of hours have been worked in any week, any work done before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. shall be paid for at overtime rates as hereinafter specified. In the rase of workers whose hours of labour are regulated by "The-rihops and Offices Act, 1908," the foregoing conditions regarding hours sha'l not apply. Employers shall be at liberty to" make special arrangements as to their hours of work with drivers attending early and late trains and steamers and carrying travellers' luggage or samples Wages.--The minimum wages for competent drivers shall be as follows: Wanganui—-For those driving and attending a single horse, £2 4s per week: for those driving and attending two or more horses, £2 8s per week. In all other parts of the industrial district affected by this award —For those driving and attending a

single horse, £2 3s per weeJ' ; for those driving and attending two u r more horses, £2 7s per week. These wages shall extend to and cover attendance to horses on Sundays, week days and holidays. No deduction shall be made from such wage for any cause save for time lost tbrought he workers' own default, or for any cause other than their own default. Casual Labour. Casual labour shall be paid for at the rate of Is ljc3 per hour. Overtime shall be paid for at the rate of Is 3d per hour and shall commence after 10& hours' work in any one day. The above hours shall include the time occupied in necessary attendances to horses. A worker shall be deemed to be a casual driver if he is not employed continuously for more than one week.

Employment of Youths.—Except where otherwise expressly provded, employers'shall be at liberty to employ youths above the age of 18 years at not less than the following wages:—From 18 to 19 years, £1 5s per week; from 19 to 20 years, £1 10s per week; from 20 to 21 years, £1 15s per week. The nrinimum weekly wage prescribed by this clause shall be deemed to extend to and cover attendance to horses on Sundays, week days and holidays. The rate of overtime and payment for work done on holidays for youths shall be as follows:—Under 20 years of age, 9d per hour; over 20 years of age, Is per hour. Holidays.—The following shall be the recognised holidays: New Year's Day, Anniversary Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Prince of Wales' Birthday, King's Birthday, Show Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Any other day generally recognised as a holiday in the particular district Slay be substituted by the employer in place of any . tha above-mentioned holidays.

Overtime.—Overtime shall be paid at the rate of la 3d per hour for all time worked beyond the hours prescribed in clause I. of this award. Sundays and Holidays.—For work done on Sunday, Chrismas Day or Good Friday, other than attendance to horses, drivers shall be paid at the rate of 2s per hour. For work done on other holidays, other than attendance to horses, drivers shall be paid at the rate of Is 3d per hour. The above payments shall be in addition to the weekly wages. GENERAL. All wages shall be paid weekly in cash. In the case ot men other than casual hands a week's notice of dismissal or-of resignation shall be yiven by the employer or employee, but this shall not prevent the employer from dismissing any worker for good cause. Any employer may enter into an agreement with a driver to provide him with suitable board and lodging, and to deduct t ie price thereof from his wages at j a rate not exceeding 16s per week. ' In all stables where fourteen or more horsas are kept an employer shall provided a man whose duty it shall be to keep the* stables clean and mix the feed. The drivers shall in turn take a week on to assist him in feeding or watering all horses. Unloading feed, when occupying more than a quarter of an hour, and washing vehicles is not to be deemed necessary attendance to horses. (The customary clauses for underrate workers and preference to unionists are included in the award). The provisions of this award shall not apply, to livery dtable keepers, coach, 'bus or cab proprietors, dairymen or wagoners. Nor shall it apply to assistants who may be employed occasionally as drivers, but who do not perform any of the duties pertaining to the necessary attendance on horses beyond the actual harnessing and unharnessing of them. SCOPE AND TERMS OF AWARD. This award shall apply only to employers carrying on business within a radius of seven miles from the Chief Post Office in Masterton. This award shall come into force on the Ist day of June, 1909, and remain in force until the sth day of April, 1911.