DAIRY FACTORY WORKERS
NEW HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT FLAT WEEKLY RATE OF EXTRA PAYMENT A new award of tire Court of Arbitration for dairy factory employees in the Northern, Taranaki Wellington, Marlborough. Nelson, Westland, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland industrial districts took effect on May 31. In a memorandum, Mr Justice Tyndall said that the application for the hearing of the dispute by the Conciliation Council was made last year under conditions which left the Court "entirely untrammelled by the Economic Stabilisation Emergency Regulations,” “While the principal classes of dairy factory workers work varying periods in excess of 40 hours a week, and while there is a special clause in the award allowing workers in butter and cheese factories to cease work as soon as their daily task is completed to the satisfaction of the controlling officer, we feel that some additional monetary recognition should be awarded for extra hours worked in excess of 40,” said his Honour’ "A flat rate of 6s 6d a week has been decided upon, and wages have been made payable retrospectively in accordance with the agreement of the parties,” his Honour said. It is stated that the parties wish A made clear that certain terms agreed on in Conciliation Council to meet abnormal conditions, do not necessarily represent the views of the parties on how the Industry should be conducted In normal times. A dissenting opinion ot Mr A. L. Monteith (workers' representative) is record ed. He states many workers worked "long-hour weeks" and had no “shorthour weeks” in the slack season, because they were dismissed To average the year without recognising this fact was unfair As many were deprived of the benefit of the operation of the shortest weeks, these adult workers on a base rate were the lowest-paid in New Zealand. Companies had the benefit of the exchange rate and should pay ruling factory rates to employees who paid their fiuota to the exchange rate but got no benefit. With the value of dairying land and stock Increasing, and the industry having its workers tied to it by Its being declared essential, companies should pa> rates at least equivalent to those paid by other factory employers. Mr Cecil Prime (employers' representative) said that the wage scale in more-or-less its present form had been adopted three, times in 19.’(7, 1940, and 1941 There was alleged to be dissatisfaction, partly because the industry had been declared essential, but mainly, no doubt, because of knowledge of higher earnings in some other industries. "This, in my opinion, is not sufficient to justify a radical departure from rates which have three times been solemnly adopted," said Mr Prime However, to allow an award to be made, he had refrained from recording any forma! dissent. Tire new schedule die lollouing new prescriptions:—Butter factories; 12-i.our week for 17 weeks, 41hour tor i? weeks, and 40-hour for 22 weeks. Cheese factories: 48-hour for lit! weeks, 38-hour (or 13 weeks. A provision for additional hours and overtime :s made to allow factories with thiee vats . >ss to work 52 hours weekly in the of the season, not exceeding 2? \r o Casein •c reameries: 4fi-hour for ‘■’m. 38-hour for 13 weeks. Time over , • day is be paid at overtime fd workers employed on all gh'fis Paid Is a shift extra.
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Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23963, 2 June 1943, Page 4
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547DAIRY FACTORY WORKERS Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23963, 2 June 1943, Page 4
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