HOW THE NEW WAGE PRONOUNCEMENT WORKS.

Chronicle (Levin), 14 April 1949, Page 7

HOW THE NEW WAGE PRONOUNCEMENT WORKS.

The first of the awards to be amended in terms of the new wage pronouncement is that of the New Zealand Furniture Trades Emplovees. The application of this union for an amendment was heard simultaneouslv witn the application for a general inerease. of 6d. an hour. The amendment to the Furniture Workers' Award is an example of the

effect of tlie Coyrt's pronouncement. The minimum rates of wages to be paid to journevmen, cabinetmakers, casketma'kers, upholsterers, chair and frame makers, maehinists, carvers, turners, polishers, pianoforte makers, (except workers on mechanism), pic-ture-framers, and Venetian-ldind makers shall be 3s lld an hour, and for wire-inattress makers in ali branches 3s S|d an hour. i The above are increases of 4d and 3M respectively over the 19-47 minimum rates. ISpring-workers and spring-seat-forin makers shall be paid a minimum wage of 3s 6d an hour. This is an inerease of 3*d. Workers over the age of 21 years may be employed at not less than 3s 51d an hour for the purpose of performing any unskilled work in or aboiu the faetory or yard of the emplover, including timber-stacking. The provisions of this sub-clause shall not apply to furniti^re-packers in the Northern Industrial District. The proportiouate increases for junior workers, botli male and female, are broadlv 10 per cent (to the nearest sixpence) over the 1947 wage rates. For adult female workers the inerease is l()s a week. The amend*ient comes into force on June 1.