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GOLDFIELDS FIREWOOD SUPPLY
THE EXISTING AGREEMENT
PROPOSEDr NEW AGREEMENT
The existing agreement between the woodline copa~aies
and their employees' unions, and the proposed new agreement
submitted by the unions, are published hereunder, at. the request
of the companies, for public information:-
FIREWOOD WORKERS EXIST
ING AGREEMENT.
This agreement, inade this .19th
day of January, 1916, in the re
sence of .the H,onourable P.. Collie,
acting "Premier of Western Auistra
1Ia, .between the West Australian
Goldfields. Firewood Supply Limit
ed, being a company registered and
incorporated in the State of West
ern Australia, whose registered
office issituate at Kurrawang, and
Westralia Tiirber and Firewood
Clompa-ny, Limited, being a coin
pany registered and incorporated
in the' State aforesaid, whose regis
tered `office is situate at Kalgoorlic
and Kalgoorlie and Boulder Fire
wood Coml.pany, Limpitedo being a
company registered and incorporat
ed in bthe State aforesaid, whose re
gistered office is situate at Kalgoorlie
(hereunto in those presents called
"'the cominanies") of the one part,
and the Kurrawang Firewood
Workers' . Union, the Kurrainia
Firewood Workers' Unioni and the
Lakeside Firewood Workerfs' Union,
a11 being unions' of workers formed
for the purpose ,of protecting the
intereits of firewood vWorkers, but
not registered, of the other . part.
Whereas the parties hereto have for
t1he purpose of preventing any in
dustrial dispute between the com
panies and the members of the said
unions, and other fir~'~ood workers
(hereinafter called "the workers'."
unless otherwise specified) agreed
upon the conditions of employment
and otherwise hereinafter mentioned
for the term hereinafter menteionid,
and whereas the comoanies have
agreed that the conditions si.hal be
observed and carried out not only
by the said companies themselves,
but by their sub-contractors, now
this agreement witnesseth that the
parties are mutually agreed as fol
lows :
1. All and everythe terms and eon
ditions hereinafter set forth so far'as
applicable 'to thm-respectively shall
be observed and carried out by the
companies themselves, and by. their
sub-contractors, and also. by the
workers, anything herein whioh may
be read to the tcointrary 15otwith
standing. ....;;
2. For the more oeff tually ensui'
ing the 'iduu obesrvaineo' & nd per
formance 6f the lait jireceting
clause, and the carrying but of the
tcrms. and conditions- herinmafter
menitioned, the companies, so far
isa concerns their pwn acts only, and
so far as permitted by law, agree
that no sub-oontractor under themn
respectively shall be allowed to
operate on or use the lines, lands,
t lf/or places under the control of
thse companies for the purpose of
supplying mining timber and fire
wood without suob person and/or
company first having agreed in
writing to the terms and conditions
r,o this agreement.
3. Before any sub-contractor shall
be allowed to commience opera
Cions on or utie any of the said
lines, lands and/or pla.es controlled
by the companies, or any o' them;
the company over whose line or
lines, lands, place or places, suoh
eub-contractor proposes to operate
shall lotifty in writing the secretary
of the union whose members are .a
fected that _ such sub-contractor haa
agreed in writing to the terms and
conditions of this agreement. ".
4. The price to woodoutteirs for
firewood bought from them by the
companies is set out in 'ineedul6
hereto. . The minimunm rates of
wages which shall be ali4i by t.he
said companies to the work6rs ar6
set out in the schedule hereto. L.
5. The houra of labour shall (sub.
ject to Clause 6) be eight hours peg
day; work beyond, the hours niex
tioned shall be considered as .ver=
time and shall be paid for at the
rate of time and a qiarter for th6
first two hours, and for all overtime
worked after two hours time and (
half rate shall be paid. For work
performed on holidays double rate;
shall be paid. Each day's work t.
stand by itself. Day workers shift.
ing of. Sundays shall be paid a
minimnuu of four hours at a time
and a half rate. For shifting o4!
week days at the ordinary rate for
the time occupied with a minimum
of, four hours, and for shifting on
holidays double time shall be paid
with a minimum of four hours.
6. These hours shall not apply to
guards and cleaners. cutters and
truck loaders.
7. The holidays shall be Christmas
Day, Boxing Day, Labour Dlay and
'Ea:ster Monday.
8. The workers are not to be de
prived of any privilege hitherto en
joyed, nor are any new conditions
detrimental to the interests of the
workers to be imposed.
9. The conmpanies shall during the
currency of tliis Agreement .sell
stores and supplies to the workers
at Kalgoorlic cash prices, such
prices to be revised from timeni to
tine by the representatives of the
workers and the head storekeepers
on behalf of the companies on the
basis of information obtained by
them from the 'rraders' Association
of Kalgoorlie and principal business
firms of Kalgoor4lie. Meat prices to
be similarly regulated and revised
on the basis of thlm d'eliv-ered book
ed prices as obtained from the prin
cipal meat? comnpanie.s of Kalgoorlio.
10. A feeder shall be employed
when 12 or more horses aret in one
camp.
'1. The workers specified in the
schedule hereto shall be supplied
with water by the said companies
free of charge and delivered in
tanks at the appointed camps as
heretofore. -.
12. Drays shall be supplied L
clean up blocks as soon as possible
after they have been cut out. , It
Cutters are idle more than one day
while waiting for dtrays or to shilf,
nimp lthe companies shall find work
for .stlch cutters, for which they shall
bb paid at the rate of 12, per dtiy.'
fi them cenot of the companies beini
t.nable to fnd work for such cut.ter.
thjey nevert?icless agree to pay themn
12/ peir day for each day thus kept
waiting after thie sepiry of the first
24 hours. Cutters shall be suppli,'
with two teams if carting beoi& 0
;ie providing the block is cu' '
factorily. In the ev\n of r.
being blin tii tor !am

than three miles to load v-ood they
will receive an extra 1/ per day for
each additional mile or part of a
mile over three. If called out to
load on Sundays cutters to be al
lowed 6/.
13. The minimum frontage for
blocks shall be as near as possible
two chains for each man in party.
The maximum frontage shall be six
chains, no matter how many men
are in the -party. In case of double
banking, the original cutter shall
have the choice of ends.
14. If the companies desire the
block cut out quickly to facilitate
the shifting of lines, they shall have
the right to place other cutters on
the front or back of these blocks.
15. Cutting or splitting to be left
to occupy woodcutters if they so de
sire so that they shall not be idle
whilst firewood is being carted from
the back of their blocks.
16. When a team or teams are
t?Arting wood for cutters who have
cut out their block, such team or
teams shall liot be withdrawf till
all the firewood of the cutter hag
been oplened up.
17. If ·qbr smore parties of est
t;eis require blocks at the same
timC, the shall draw lots for prh
cedenc..
18. The bush boss shall conduct
the drawing and eatsurte out the
blocks an4 dist?aibLt them bt?ween
the cutters Ssjec i rde'
of drawing atters b siplie
with nea bloeks, asi t oiin qas sib d J
after the, have cut lut t4ell bl4
elools, rovided th e ? evicej 4??
gýred. f sbl e, hortrs
ta ?e 0that the destd abhtheyi
block shall be given by the patterd
to the bush boss, before the block
is cut out.
19. In the event of trees being
unsuitabld to outters, such trees
deed not be felled. If g disputf Rrisel
as td what eOpnitutes n?Istable
trees, tW6 bush bos ad workers"
*eptesentative shall dee.d the
tuestiodf. If they .a&hno& ree, thd
trees in dispute sha ll b& feflled and
cut dip, and loa4ed by the butter at
the rtte of ii 'ei hotiiV
~O0. Camns shall be placed so that
1utters shall not have to walk more
.than a mile to the - front of the
block where they are working, and
in case of large blocks tanks shall
be placed so that watest shall be
Available within 14 miles from where
cutters are working.
21. Wood shall be trucked within
dive weeks from the time the blocks
a-re cleaned up, and so far as pos
sible in the order in which it was
'arted.
22. Wood burnt on lines shall be
paid for at a full rate of 6/ per load;
wood in trucks shall be paid for at
tonnage rates, based on the average
weight of rake,
23. When loading trucks all un
necessary mixing of wood cut by
different cutters to be avoided. The
companies shall make such arrange
inents as will enable truck loaders
to load trucks in daylight.
24. Wood to be tipped not more
than five feet from the rails. Wood
tipped more than five feet from the
rails to be paid for at 8d. per ton
single tip, dnd 9d. per ton double
tip. The companies shall level all
tips where excavations have been
nade by navvies.
25. Stores shall be located in
cutters' main camp, or any other
bonvenient places. Stores shall be
delivered in all camps where so de
sired by workers, as far as possible.
,26. It is agreed that the said
tompanies and their sub-contrac
tors will officially recognise the
said unions and branches thereof.
The said companies or sub-con
tractors will monthly deduct weiglh
bridge dues from all cutters and
truck loaders on their lines accord
ing to the lists supplied by thec
check weigher at the end of each
monthl,.
27. Tihe companies shall also de
duct unllion dues from all union
members as per list to be supplied
by the unions, but only condition
ally that the unions become regis
tered, and are subject to the Arbi
tration Court of the State.
28. The said companies and their
sdub-contractors shall not discriin
atte against members of the unions,
nor in the conduct of their busines
do anything with the view of di
re t·ly or indirectly injuring the said
uRlons.
29. Workers shall be paid once
monthly at bush camps. Pay day
shall not be later than the 12th day
of each month. Accounts to be
supplied as far as possible three
clear days before pay dar

30. Payments shall be made on
the weights recorded by the check
weigher, unless as provided else
where, at so mu'ch per load.
31. Wood now in the bush to be
paid for at new rates. Wood now
on the lines to be paid for at old
rates.
32. In order. to regulate carting
and prevent confusion among cut
ters all cutting shall be done in a
face either from the back of . the
block inwards or from the front out
wards as required. All suitable
timber to be cut into firewood
lengths and sizes as specified else
where.
33. When dry .wood cutters have
previously cut on blocks green
wood. cutters shall not be required
to cut dry wood.
34. No burning of timber shall
under any circumstances be permis
sible. (This is in compliance with
the Forest Act Regulations),
35. Cutters shall peg their blocks
frorm A point and to a line as di
rected by the Bush Boss and the
company shall cleatr the tip, The
Cutter shall lan his wvood ii heaps
convenient for cartin;;
36., The gmnany' shall part ' the
wood to tho ?ailwa? ineý and load
it in waggont ''
a37 Tl.e !yvl gon a b taken
scresed h'y ifhbld 0, "eh
as at pre
wood cut a n?nd
the Govern m? t° lwa epi~rt.
mentrEýe 6 ' i" eight
ieg &setarinerta sall J takep as
(1414 Delivei 'bef1.Y eiiIfhe uit
ters and the, c iy a lybe
completed >h en. Ih i * ti
passed the weighbridge .d the
weight have been ascertained, unless
otherwise agreed to? "
38. Cuttere who are desirous o
leaving their blocks shall give th6
company iotic . And their wood
ehalJ be trucke4 and paid for within
fen ;ayes hfFtia rtiig, bsi "half
s sq pply to tnutters froi w.hom the
CM ilet Fl oY desp *o pur
ha .any mior .reisood 6
are desirous of
14?ll n ay"i~ient more quickly
thai' 'r'de.4 for in the preceding
~olau TC ceive paymntt at p0/
per lo-dl. balance, if any,
be pij?ara fte' the wood has been
weigea, .
40. Cutteirs may obtain advances
in cash or qtores from the companies
up to 75 per cent. of the estimated
value of the sum coming to them
for wood lying out on their blocks
or on the line. The value of such
stores or supplies shall be taken as
payment or part payment for any
such firewood.
41. The companies shall not em
ploy any enemy subject during the
currency of the war on these wood
lines.
42. The companies shall employ
men when necessary as spark arres
tors in order to safeguard the wood
from being burnt.
43. This agreement shall remuain
in force from the 19th day of
January, 1916, to the 30th day of
June, 1919, and thereafter until de
termined by three months' notice of
its termination to be given by
either side.
44. It is mutually understood that
this agreement shall be registered
if possible.
4, cutters cutting five feet lengths
to receive 4/9 per ton, as per mine
specification, viz. t-"The companies
shall supply firewood of locally
grown timber other than black oak
in lengths of five feet, with a diartN..
ter if unsplit of not more than 10
inches nor less than 3 inches at
either end, but if the firewood ex.
ceeds io inches at both ends, but
does not exceed 12 inches at both
elids, the same shall be split in
half. and should the firewood ex
ceed 12 inches at both ends, shall
be split in four pieces."
SCHEDULE.
Cutters for firewood cut in 5 ft..
lengtlhs in accordance with fore
going mines specification price, 4/9
per ton.
Dry wood to be paid for at. the
price of 5,3 per ton.
All engine wood and short wood
to be paid for at the prices follow
ing:-Ti-tree, snap and rattle, pine
and oak. 12! per cord stacked wood
knwn?.1 E rtsh mulga (cuttiing op
ioal), d ~ per cord stacked all
other 6od, ?/3 per cord stacked!
sdh rd tattle, 3 ft. lengths, /6f
pe?t ionl snap 9qnd rattle, 8 ft,
lemgths if burnt oih tip, 9j per oad,
o ngnt wood or short wood .
b' Sld''at other prices than thi,
above prices,
Engine wvood cutters shall be sup
plied with t team to clean up .as
Pear the~ a thg p4Qntb 8a tv4

sible if cutters so desire.
Horse Drivers.--14/29 per day. If
a. horse driver harnesses up, but
afterwards finds be is unable to putt
wood, he slhall be paid for two
hours. No driver sh:: drive more
than two horses and drays.
For driving one horse engine wood
or short. wood.-12/6 per day. -
Horse Feeders (7 days per week).-
11/6 per day.
Yard Employees.-A minimum of
11/8 per day of 8 hours.
Navvies.-A minimum of 12/ per
day of eight hours, travelling t ime"
,to be paid one way.
Fettler.-A minimum of 11/8 per
day of eight hours.
Casual workers, such as loading
sleeper logs mining timber, at a
minimum of four hours at a rate of
12/ per day of eight hours, walking
time to be paid for each way.
Truck Loaders.-For loading 5 ft.
lengths, 7d. per ton'single tip; Sd.
per ton double tip. About six miles
shall be the limit for truck loaders
travelling to work. Double rates
shall be paid for wood loaded on
holidays, and rate and a half for
wood1 loaded on Sundays.
Mill Bands.--Sawyer or man in
charg of law bench, 13/4 per day
.Of 8 hdurs,
f ahderg Up.-12/ per day of 8
tours,
Lunipers pt Automatic Bench.-
_2Lpe day Of S fours.
For Jilng Sdwp and Driving Sta
tionary Engine at Sawmill:-15/ per
day of 8 hours.
Guards, at the rate of 12/6 per
day of 8 hoilrs.
Cleaners, at the rate of 11/ per
day of 8 hours.
Gaigers, including fettling gang
dis y to be paid a minimum of 13,'4
per day.
For tihe W.A. Goldfields Firewood'
Supply, Limited, W. N. Hedges,
managing director; for the Kal
goorlie and Boulder Firewood.-Com
pany , Limited, )V. Scrymgeour,
)nauaging director; for the Westra
lia Timber and Firewood Company,
limited, A. Francis, attorney; for
the Kurrawang Firewood Workers' 1
Union, J. Ramsay, president, A. R.
Kollie, Secretary for the Lakeside
Firewood Workers' Union, A. E.
Discombe, Secretary; for the Kur
ramia Firewood Workers' Union, T.
Middlemiss, Secretary.
Witness to the above signatures
this 27th day of January, 1916: A.
T. Maywood.

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