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INCLOSURE NO.1. (Item 4)
(Statement by European Dockyard Employers 9th September
1947)
9th September, 1947!
OFFICIAL STATEMENT BY THE EUROPEAN DOCKYARD EMPLOYERS
Since the statements in certain papers concerning the negotiations at the meeting on 8th September between the European Dockyard Employers and repre- sentatives of the C.3.I. are both misleading to the general public and a hindrance to the settlement of the strike, the Dockyard Employers feel it desirable to issue the following statement.
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Throughout negotiations it has been quite clearly stated that these concerned the 13 Trades of skilled mechanics represented by the C.E.I. who paid on a tinc basis and on a pre-strike scale of basic wages between 25 cents per hour and 40 cents per hour. Reference to the first offer of the European Dockyard Employers (as issued in the press on 23rd August) to raise the range of this scale to 30 cents minimum and 50 cents maximun per hour makes it clear that this was the basis of discussion from the outset. Forcmen, monthly paid vorkers and special grades who are outside this range have always been considered special cases which would be appropriately treated by the various managements after the settlement of the strike.
At the last mecting on 8th September which was arranged to receive an answer on whether the workers accepted the Employers offer of a rise in Basic vago of 45% for Tradesmen on a time basis employed by the Dockyards, the repre- sentatives of the C.E.I. presented a counter offer of a rise of 60%.
The European Dockyard Employers pointed out that it had been made undisputably clear that their offer of 45% was the limit to which they were prepared to go, but since this increase produced hourly rates involving fractions of cents they intended, for simplicity, to round off all wagos within the scale to whole cents, and to give the workers the benefit of all fractions. The follow- ing tabular statement was then presented to the representatives, which in effect gives an average rise of about 47%.
Present
van mga ma dari A
Actual Increase
Per Cont.
Plus 455
Revised Hourly
Rate Payable
25 cents
36.25
37 cents
48
26
37.70
38
46.15
27
39.15
40
48.15
28
40.60
41
46.43
29
42.05
4.3
43.27
30
43.50
46.6
31
44.95
45
45.16
32
45.40
46
46:87
•39 40
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47.85
48
45.45
49.30
50
47.06
50.75
51
45.6
52.20
53
47.22
53.65
51+
45.81,
55.10
56
47.37
56.55 58
46.15
58
45
On presentation of this table the representatives of the C.D.T. remarked that they expected the percentage increase to be applică to all Foremen and others on a time basis who verc outside this scale. The employers informed them that this particular scale had always been the subject on which negotiations had boun conducted, and thoro men outside the neule ust remain special caces who would be justly tronted by the managements, were in a position to approach the manage-- ments direct.
It is then that the reprosoat/liver asked if the Employers would be prepared to make the increase a roved 50%. The employers cnyaired whether this was intended as an offer from the work ra which would settle the strike at o.14 since at the beginning ol' the mettr the rercuta liver *. thes, 1.5 I. MA Sid, that they are emporvosud to negotiate rettlement.
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