GENERAL WAGE INCREASE

Chronicle (Levin), 9 July 1947, Page 5

GENERAL WAGE INCREASE

r-press Association

Court Commences Hearing Oi Application

By . Telegraph

WELLINGTON, July 9. The Court of Arbitration today commenGed the hearing of the application for a pronouncement specifying new standard rate^ of wages for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers, The Application submitted to the court was jointly signed by the Federation of Labour and the Furnb ture and Related Trades' Association of W orkers. The workers' case is being conducted by Mr. K. Baxter, secretary of the Federation of Labour, who emphasised that it was a general case taken on behalf of all workers under the Court of Arbitration. The court is being asked : 1. To make a new standard wage pronouneement increasing the standard rates laid down in 1945 by sixpence an hour, the new rates to be converted to a weekly basis, 2. To increase the wage rates of junior male workers under 16 years of age to 25 per cent. of the adult male unskilled rate, with six-month-ly increa'ses of six per cent. 3. To increase the wage rates of junior female workers to 23 per cent. of the .adult male unskilled rate, with increases of six per cent. as for junior males. 4. To fix the rate for adult female workers at 90 per cent. of the unskilled adult male rate. 5. To incorporate in the award the words "female workers performing work normally performed by adult male workers shall be paid the appropriate male rate."