NEW AWARD

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23966, 5 June 1943, Page 6

NEW AWARD

RATES OF PAY FOR BACON WORKERS Certain increases in wages. theDnly matter referred to and settled by the Court, are embodied in an award of the Arbitration Court for bacon workers in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, issued by Mr Justice ,;‘n n “This dispute was filed on March 30, 1943, consequently the Court is required to comply with clause 38 of the Economic Stabilisation Emergency Regulations. 1942.” he said. Prior _to December 11, 1942. the rates of wages prescribed for bacon workers in the Northern Industrial District and m the Canterbury and Otago and Southland Industrial Districts were practically identical, but as a result of a complete settlement in the Northern Industrial District an award was made on December 4, 1942, prescribing that on and after December 11, 1942, certain increased rates of wages should be paid. Mr Tyndall said that in this industry in the Wellington and Taranaki Industrial Districts wages were payable mostly on an hourly basis, and the workers so long as ■ full time was worked were generally on a more favourable basis than the workers in Canterbury and Otago and Southland, although in one or two cases the position was reversed. “Taking all matters into consideration,” he said, “we are of the opinion that certain adjustments are desirable to the wage rates in the Canterbury and Otago and Southland Districts to bring them more into line with the rates now operating in the Northern Industrial District, and that these adjustments are of the nature contemplated bv clause 38 of the Economic Stabilisation Emergency Regulations.” The following are the minimum rates of wages for adult male workers employed by the week (the extent of increases made being given in parenthesis:—head curer, £6 10s (ss); cutters-up, boners, rollers, curers, cellarmen, and storemen, £5 10s (ss); lard hands and other workers, £5 5s (5s 6d); while employed in ■ slaughterhouses at sticking, scalding, scraping, singeing, black scraping scrubbing. and thoroughly cleaning, opening up, marking down, chopping and removing insides, and washing carcases, workers shall be paid 6d per hour in addition to the above rates. Workers employed by the hour shall be paid 3s (same) an hour while engaged in slaughterhouse work. Cuttersup. boners, rollers, curers, cellarmen. storemen, and workers employed at marking down and chopping elsewhere than in slaughterhouses will be paid at an hourly rate of 2s lOd (Id) an hour. Lard hands and other workers will be paid 2s 6d (Id) an hour. Boys and youths may be employed from the age of 16 years to 16i years of age at the minimum wage of £1 10s a week, with half yearly increases of 5s until they reach the age of 19 years. Workers on reaching the age of 20 years must be paid the minimum rale of £3 10s a week, after which the adult wage rates apply.