CARPENTERS’ UNION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2360, 28 November 1908, Page 7

CARPENTERS’ UNION.

NEW AWARD

The chief alterations in the new award, applied/ for by the Gisborne branch of the Amalgamated iSociety of Carpenters and) Jointers’ Union, are as follows: — Minimum wage: (Is 6d asked for); “All journeymen carpenters and journeymen shall be paid not less than one shilling and fourpence per hour. Payment of wages, clause A.: (Asked for: “That all wages be paid weekly in cash) —“Subject to special 'arrangements, herein provided', all wages shall bo paid in cash fortnightly on alternate Saturdays, either on the work or at the employers’ place of business, within a. reasonable time after work has ceased.” Country work: (Askedi for: “That all men so employed receive Is 6d per day additional)—“Evory journeyman engaged upon country work within the meaning of clause 7 hereof shall be paid in addition to bis ordinary wages a further sum of Is for each and every day while he is so employed.” “Tools, etc.: “When workers who have been employee! for not less than four weeks are discharged they shall be allowed such reasonable time, not ghouls, as may he necessary " Safe them, 'to put their Mp + '*' -=>' n ’’ • - W -m ?VIORANDUM. The 9 nig memorandum was affixed . awaiil: “The minimum rat© by the two previous of awards Vol. 4 p. 109, and vol. 6 p. 150) was Is 3d per hour. At tlie date when these awards were made the minimum rate fixed for carpenters employed in the city of Auckland and other pa fits of the industrial district was Is 3d per hour (Book of Awards vol. 6 p. 127). Since then the minimum rate for all parts of the industrial district, except tlie Poverty Bay portion! thereof,'has been increased to Is 4d per hour (Book of Awards vol. S p. 840). This was done with the consent of the Auckland Builders’ Association ancl without any opposition on- the part of other employers. When the Union in the present case approached the Gisborne Masters’ Union in connection with .its demands a conference was held between delegates representing the two unions. At this-conference three delegates, representing the Master Builders’ Onion, agreed to recommend their Union to agree to tlie minimum wage being fixed at* Is 4-id per hour. Their Union refused, however, to accept this recommendation. Iti view of all the circumstances the Court is justified in increasing the minimum .rate to Is 4d per hour, so as to put the carpenters in tlie Poverty Bay district in - the same position as carpenters in all other parts of t-lie Industrial District. The delegates from the Master Builders’ Union agreed to make tlie recommendation they did oil the understanding tliat'employcrs should be at liberty to work only 44 hours -per week in the four winter months of the year. It is desirable to point out that this stipulation, was quite unnecessary. Under the previous award and under the present award each employer is entitled to fix the hours of work per week at what number be pleases, subject only to this condition that if ho works more than 47 in any week, or outside the hours fixed by clause 1 of the award, lie must pay overtime rates for any work done outside tlie prescribed hours. The wage fixed is an hourly one, and an employer is entitled to employ a carpenter for whatever hours lie pleases in any week.”