DAIRY WORKERS' AWARD.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 525, 4 June 1909, Page 8

DAIRY WORKERS' AWARD.

..<■■ Sir,r-lhere appeared' in;'.: your - valuable paper, under the Sheading of "Dairy -Work-' ors • Award,',' Va'.vtetter' written by a farmo*' who; seems, .to ;'me, to bo really happy over the'result..of. .the award that the dairy workers aro:to workundor. ■ Just fancy the poor .slaves, ui the dairy.industry (the main-' stay of the Dominion's industries) working 70 •hours., per • week up \to: their waists in ;water., and:.steam for the lovely' sum'>of. £2 per 1 weokj wliilo. Sir, Joseph trips-to. London to talk warships, : etc... • ~ :,;..,.' ,' -As'.to-:the ."Farmer" talking .about' the managers who are 'not- .included -in ;-'the award,'and that ho has been connected with idairyfactories'for' many years,' hd 'must. ;know.'that,.:the factory' managers-are 'his friqndsj who, make "thecommon- dairy-workers work'the. seventy; hours a ; week so- as ho caii get an extra. £]/, or, so .more a week, if he: keeps those workers/slaving and- doing \the work-he gets paid for.' Such is the case in .many- factories,' where managers do little or nothing put the toil on to tho'.'Vchu'mps," who are learning:, the orofession of butter or cheese-maker,-and "expect to get'a factory mana'gemeht some day themselves.''■.'. But.' tho ' market -was flooded .'years j .ago... .Fanpy' thirty ■> an<} •: fifty applications in,for one-'job at £3 per week, which ■gives power-to' wear a starched "collar and. a trip-: to the ■ grading stores now' and then, while the factory is being run just the same as 1 when ho himself'is. there'. In many cases it is bettor:ruri>when"ho is away, as:thoro are plenty of good men, assistants, etc.. in 'factories who do not get a chance to show that thoy are really 'the. ranker:of the.first- : grado stuff, because -they ajre not. bred tho right-way to. get'V, job when. thoy. apply. . ':' Sir,-' I- myself; having been a copimon factory .worker, ,also.a manager; iii• both cheeso ■and buttor -factory/:allow mo';to know something aboui.;tho game- aftc'r . fifteen: years' experience.: .1 6ay that 70 hours per week is'white slavery, and tho 'pay in the award I decidedly too low. Just fancy a man work-.

ing, as it' is a man's work, not boys', ton hours periday and, soven days per ,week /. on hard concrete floors, which grind hob'nails off boots in'oao week, also' wet up to'the wais); and in a damp atmosphere, in and out'of freezing chambers, arid at the same time wringing with sweat., 1 would liko to get Mr. Farmer alongsido, mo at 5 o'clock in! tho'morning, beforo brealdast,',turning... a. few -ton of cheese, or churning-and digging out . a few churnß, 1 or working a butter , table a couple of hours beforo breakfast, .or even after breakfast. Ho would not liavo fivb minutes to liavo a yarn as ho; docs now, to his neighbour over-tho,fence, or wasto/half an hour growling aboufc his factory test every week. 1 feel sure if lie' had a - season of, solidwork in a decent-sized; factory, he would either bo dead or cry out for less hours and more pay. ' » '

"Farmer" .says ho is proud of tho men m tho factory. I say ho ought to bo ashamed of them, if they only earn; tho award, rata. Of courso, i tho farmers-.aw pleased with tho result of tho "award, .as thoy.get all the overrun. 'in their mill', cheque, which would be much smaller if factory men. wero paid n fair, living wage like all other trades. -,Can "Farmer givo mo the name of any other industry in Now Zealand (that boasts about its ton of gold per'year, etc.); that works its men. seventy hours per week for 40s. per week? If ho can -it is time tho agitators got to : work amongst that industry, and . get .them under an award. Of course, farm labourers are : not-: skilled workers,: like tliey had : not skill enough to get an awardbut! a-general labourer'can set Is. per hour, while the dairy-worker is aslced to, apply'his skill for 7d. per hour, under worso condition's.'

"Now, Mr. Farmer* if, you have a little far.m'er's sense, keep to farming, arid do not laugh or feel proud oftho',award given to .the.workers, who have for years past.turned much poor milk into .good cheese and but-ter,-without any help'from tho; farmer, who has received all tho profit from it, while the dairy-workers have not received any bonuses like you,' or. even'thanks.": And,now, with a small' award, I wonder if "Farmer" will say to Wellington people:' "I will take less for :tho factory butter this winter, -and .we 'can : : both live," and never, mind about tho factory slave under ,-the a«i, : , '' ■ DAIRY-WORKER. .. •v-May.; 29.Y.;'';,;■;- ; A ■-■■■ "':'\. } .'