HOURS & WAGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 June 1938, Page 4

HOURS & WAGES

DEMANDS OF CHRISTCHURCH GAS WORKERS LONGER WEEK WANTED WITH HIGHER PAY (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ■ CHRISTCHURCH, June 28. Affecting sixty yardmen at the Gas Works, a dispute has arisen between these men and the Christchurch Gas Company, as to the number of hours that shall be worked each week. The Company claims that if the men work a 44 hour week, some will have to be dismissed, because there will not be enough work to go round, while the men say that they are entitled, under their new award, to a 44 hour week, with a corresponding increase in their weekly pay. A clause in the award relating to yardmen’s hours states that up to 44 hours may be worked. According to a statement made this morning by the secretary (Mr W. E. Rogers), the Company can work men on a 40 hour week under this clause. Under the old award, said Mr Rogers, the yardmen were paid £4 6s 2d for a week, which averaged 42 hours' —40 one week and 44 the next. The new award stipulated an hourly payment of 2s 4d, which on a 40 hour week, meant a rise of 7s 2d to £4 13s 4d, for two hours less work. Under the 44 hour week, the men would receive £5 2s Bd, and the men wanted this extra 10s Bd.

If a 44 hour week were adopted, said Mr Rogers, it would mean that six or more would have to be dismissed. The company’s engineer had decided that a 40 hour week was preferable, to dismissing the men. The men have already held meeting to discuss the position and the possibility of a strike has been mentioned. A meeting will be held this afternoon to make a final decision.

The company has requested the men to appoint three members of a disputes committee, which so far has not been done.

The secretary of the Workers’ Union, Mr A. E. Tongue, said he had no comment to make.