HIGHER OVERTIME FOR DAIRY WORKERS

Chronicle (Levin), 17 December 1946, Page 7

HIGHER OVERTIME FOR DAIRY WORKERS

i Press As&

By TelegrapK

'H.-Copyriyht

WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. A surprise ino ve was rnade by tlie Govermiient in tlie dairy f actory dispiite today wlien, by Order-in-Coimcil, a portion of the Factories Act was revoked enabling dairy f actory workers to receive . double tilne for work on Sundays and holidays instead of the present rate of time and a lialT. The Prime Minis'ter, Hon. P. Eraser, and Minister of Labour, Hon. J. O'Brien, refused tonight to coimnent on tlie situation. Mr. C. G. Camp, secretary of the New Zealand Employers' Eederation, said tonight lie" had been roformed offieially tliat the second schedule of the Factories Act 1936, wliicli had been incorporated into the .new Act tliis year, had been revoked insofa^ as it aft'ected dairy factory workers. This, he said, meant that all ovcrtime worked 011 Sundays and holidays would be payable at double time instead of time and a half as previously. In some cases work on holidays would be at treble time rates.

A message froin Whangarei says tliat. Mr C. L. Collier, secretary of tlie Northland sub-branch of the New Zealand Dairy Factory Workers' Union, said that if the dairy workers did not receive the increase in the basic wage rates work in the factories would cuase. A meeting of dairy factory workers was held recently in Whangarei, when men from nine of the 17 factories in Northland were present. At the meeting a decision was niade that Northland would immediatcly support any action by workers in the Soutli Auckland and Taranaki districts. This decision has been communicated to all factories and full support given. While the men have been notified that a work stoppage is likeiy, the union officials are hopeful that the men 's demands will be met witliout dircct aetion. Mr Collier stated that there had been discontent in the industry for some years, and this culminated in many factories being idle for various periods about two years ago. An increase in wages was then given, but this increase was nullilicd by a general wage increase over all classes of workers, so tliat the dilfereuce of basic wage rates between the dairy factory worker and tliose in other industries still existed. The nnin were asking for an increase from £3 ls 8(1 to .£5 10s in the basic rate for a 40-hour week. This would be only 2s 9d an hour, and less tlian the average of other industries. "Another factor, " said Mr. Collier, 'Us the shortago of skiiied workers in tlie industry, and tlie strain thrown; on the older men by this sliortage. During the war tlie men carried on, but they consider that uow tlie labour positiou sliould be eased. " "We have been tryihg fyr souip. time to get a date for Conciliation Council proceedings, " said Mr. C. Cl. Camp, secretary of tlie New Zealand Employers' Federalion, when asked to -cominent 011 the situation in tliO industry. The i'oderation acts for tlie dairy coiupaiiies iu conciliation and arbitratiou mattcrs. Mr. Camp said tliat so far the work-

ers' demands had not been received by the employers but were expected.