966 



Conciliation Committees. 



[Feb., 



An interesting agreement for farm wages was reached in 



Northampton on 18th January when the employers and 



_ ..... workers on the Conciliation Committee 



Conciliation , , , . , ,. 



Committees mao -e terms tor a period extending up to 

 ^ . , the 6th October. Although there were 23 

 Long Period - , . & , . , . 



A reements Iarm wage agreements m operation at that 

 greemen s. there were only two long-period 



agreements made covering the whole season up to the end of 

 harvest. Such agreements have the advantage on the one hand 

 of giving farmers a settled rate of wage over a period when farm 

 operations — including both hay and corn harvest — are in full 

 swing, while to the labourer they offer a fixed minimum wage 

 which will enable him to benefit by any further fall in the cost 

 of living which may occur during the agreed period. 



The principal clauses in the Northampton agreement provide 

 that : — (1) The wages of male agricultural labourers of 21 years 

 of age and over shall be 32s. for a week of 48 hours from 18th 

 January, 1922, until 3rd March, 1922, and 31s. for a week of 

 50 hours from 4th March, 1922, until 6th October, 1922; (2) 

 the overtime rate from 18th January, 1922, until 3rd March, 

 1922, shall be 8Jd. per hour, and from 4th March until 6th 

 October, 8d. per hour ; (3) the ordinary time and overtime rates 

 only shall apply during hay and harvest periods ; and (4) there 

 shall be a guaranteed week of 48 hours from 18th January, 

 1922. until 3rd March. 1922, and of 50 hours from 4th March, 

 1922, until 6th October, 1922. Provision is also made for the 

 wages of workers under 21 years of age. 



A somewhat similar agreement has been reached in Pem- 

 broke covering the period up to the 4th October at a rate of 

 34s. per week for 50 hours. 



The example of these two counties will no doubt be carefully 

 considered by other Conciliation Committees, and may lead to 

 agreements being reached for longer periods with benefit both to 

 the farmer and the worker. 



The agreements relating to adult male workers, which were 

 in force on the 20th January, were as follows : — 



-Hours 



Area. Period. Wages. per v:eel\ 



Cheshire Up to 30th April, 1922 36/- _ 54 



Cumberland and „ 2nd Feb., „ 37/6 54 in summer 



Westmorland ... 48 in winter 



Durham „ 1st March, „ 44/6 50 



Hampshire ... „ 1st March, „ 8d. per hour ; — 



guaranteed week 

 of 48 hours. 



