FREEZING WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 150, 21 December 1929, Page 11

FREEZING WORKERS

DOMINION AWARD

MR, MONTEITH DISSENTS

Tho Dominion Freezing "Workers' award was filed to-day in the Arbitration Court. It takes effect from Ist January, 1930, and continues 5- force until 31st December, 1930.

In a memorandum to the award, Mr. Justice Frazer states that the Court has'made alteration to the clauses relating to the hours of chamber hands, the wages of strippers in the guthouse, the cleaning of flues, the minimum average, wage of slaughterhouse assistants, disputes) and the term of the award. In other respects, the award is based in tho expired award. In regard to clause 31 (k), which provides for a'minimum average wage for hour-ly-paid slaughterhouse assistants, it was considered that three clear days' notice of dismissal was unnecessarily long,: regard being had to the conditions governing the employment of tlrese workers and to the objects of the clause, and the period of notice has now been fixed at seventy-two hours. An increase of 3d an hour in the rate for strippers in tho guthouse, which' was agreed upon by the parties when the last award was made, has been deleted. The employers stated that that agreement was made by mistake. The eyidenee showed that the operation was a very different one from that performed in the casings department, for which the higher rate was originally,- and is still, prescribed. The eyidenee also showed that the retention, of the. 3d an hour increase would place the- strippers in the guthouse on a higher basis than that prescribed for runners-off, whose work requires, . if anything, more care than that of. the strippers. Further,, it would place these strippers on. a higher wage-rate than meat graders and shop butchers, who are skilled workers.

AMENDED WITHOUT EVIDENCE,

Mr. A. L, Mqriteith (employees' representative) dissents from the award, because of the alteration to clause 31 (k), arid the reduction of 3d an hour awarded to strippers. In respect of the former, he states, evidence was tendered, by the union twelve months ago, which'clearly showed hardship to workers, and the employers' representative then admitted the unfairness, and the clause was inserted by the Court. At the present hearing the ■ clause was amended by a majority of the Court without any.evidence from the employers or any case cited of hardship. In regard to the reduction of 3d in the case of strippers, Mr. Monteith contends that.it is against the weight of evidence.

The hours of work defined by the award for freezing chamber hands are eight in any twonty-four, reckoning from midnight •to midnight. Workers engaged in removing • soot from flues shall : bo paid- 2a 4d a day extra, except on Sundays, when double ordinary time shall be paid. For the purposes of the award;-a flue shalMje deemed to extend from the firing-door of the boiler to the foot of the smoke stack. .■■ .

; ■ The wages of - slaughterhouse and. cooling-room assistants have been fixed as follows:—Boners, after two years, 2s 4id per hour; boners, improvers, first year, 2s Id' per'hour; boners, improvers, second year, 2s 2a per hour; boners, on piecework, beef per quarter, lOd; boners, on .piecework, calves up to 801b, 7d; floormen, qn. piecework/ per 1000, £1- 9s; ".floormen, 2s Id per hour; gutmeu,on piecework, per 100, 4s sd; eutnien, on beef, per 100, £1 Is 2d; |utmen, per hour, 2s Id; cooling-room floor hands, trimmers, general labourers, and others not otherwise stated, 2s Id per hour; runner-of£, 2s 2a per hour; stripper, 2s 2d per hour; meat grader, if not permanent, 2s 3Jd; shop butcher, if not permanent, 2s 4d per hour. SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES. Provision is made for every dispute or difference concerning the award to be referred to a committee consisting oi three representath es of the union and three representatives of the employers. The decision of the majority of the committee is to be binding, and if no decision is arrived at, tho matter in dispute shall bo referred to a committee composed of three representatives of the New Zealand Freezing Works Employees' Federation ana three representatives of the employers It they are unable to arrive at a decision either party may refer the matter to the.Court of Arbitration for settlement.; The clause does not preclude any .worker from bringing an action in any Court of competent jurisdiction in respect of any claim for wages or otherWlse arising out of his employment