CLOTHING WORKERS CLAIMING 35-HOUR WEEK

Chronicle (Levin), 24 May 1946, Page 2

CLOTHING WORKERS CLAIMING 35-HOUR WEEK

— Press : ^Assoeiation

HIGUER RATES OF PAY ALSO ;

By Telearwph-

. . , wellington p-Ai'ay -25. ./* Clothing workers. .ao'ught ;a ' 35-hpur \yeek- in--. elainis -for- -a-- new-- iiatiQntt') award which they placed before. the t'pi'uployers in Coneiliatipn'iCoUaciLTd^&yNogotialiQns will c'ontihua tomorrSw.'y , i ; The workers' f epjesehtatives.', a'sked that 35, liours should be • Vo/kM 'tfrony Monday • to Friday vBetwedn; 8 a;ib./and: 4 p.m. They sought' aubstantiaf /.'ikCreases in rates of "pay.'" - • k «' " * -v V Tlid employera inserted' a new cliij[ge in tlniir counter-claiins as •/fellows'ijV ('Eriiployces- sh'aU' serve thoir amplpy.efs. hones'tly,. faithf lilly . and diligentTy.- anip condyct -themselves •' discr eotly, ''civiily* and decently." ■ • ' Arguing iu support - of - the -35,-hour week, the agent. fo.r .the em.plo^'eea, -H*ri John Robcrt's, secretary of tlie" 20% ■ Zealand Clothing Workers ' -tlnioh, 'said soine clothing factories, ' nkfaely/. aii' Auckland and , Ohristchjirch, . were ya'fe ready operatiiig on the 35-hour basi,s, Mr. Eoberts thimked these empipyers and asked that similar conditions -b.e:" tpiided to o'ther factories.*. He .liad '.been advised, -he said, that the-reductioiv 6f hours had- not ..brought ovith it any .decline.in output.. ' The employors' representatives argned that a reduction : in -hours -woidd yeducethe output and that if a 35-hour .week were established throughout the clothing industry, a general claiip for 35 hours a week would arise. This would not be practicable undor present conditions, a . fact , wliich .should.-. bo! "w'ell known to Mr. Roberts in his capacity as member oi the. Economic Stabilisa:tion Commission! ' His fellow fepresentative of the workers on ihe CominisSioh, Mr. F. P. Walsh, in his recent repof.t had not favoured any further reduction of hours in the working week. . . Suppor.ting tlie claim " for "...highet wages, Mr. Roberts. said .the- elotlling industry. was iinding it, extr.einely diihH cult to compete sucyessfull'y for ^bthaie workers. Clothing. work must be ihadu suflicicntly "attraetive td gifls .•*&tSid women. A 1'urtlicf difiiculty 'Was/ the fact that shops iiow had a hve-day '^edk and highcr rates. Tlie claims made by the workers ilpt1 increased wages were as follow, with the old award rates iu parcntheses: — Apprcntices: First six months, £1 10s a week (£1 2s), seeond six months, £2 (£L 6s), third six months, £2 10s (£4 10s), fourth six months, £3 (£1 15s). . Tmprovers: First six niontbs, £3 10s (£2 ls), sccond six months, £4 (£2; Gs Od). The workers claiined a reduction in thc pcriod as an improyer from two yoars to oue, and claiined thereafter a journeywoman's wage of £4 10s a week coinparod with £3 5s. -Under the old nward for cutters, triinmers and tailors paid at £5 l-7s 6d .and £5 12s 6d, thev daimed a new rate of 3s 9d an houi based on- a 35-hour week. Bimilar daims were made for examiners, press3rS and male machinisls. -The einployerst representatives retir)d to consider the claims. ■ ' Mr. A. Itigg, Conciliation Colnmis jioner, Christchurch, presided. -