A WORK-GIRL'S GRIEVANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3178, 31 August 1917, Page 6

A WORK-GIRL'S GRIEVANCE

Sir,—Would you givo us your opinion on, and advise-'' what steps wo should take in the following matter P We arc a number of girls engaged in a by-pro- . duct from a large factory at Petone. Ifc is absolutely essential that our work oC using up the factory "waste" should b» oompletod each day; otherwise, it would become useless. Sometimes there is delay in receiving our material, caused by the factory not producing at normal rate, and we are obliged to work late,, for which we receive overtime. When any of the girls are absent through illness or otherwise, their pay is stopped, and while we are obliged to work late in trtifar to effect a clearance on. the day's factory "waste," which is our material, we are not paid overtime for such extra, worki This, we feel, is unfair. Is it necessary for a handful of _ girls—tHere are only ten—forming a union and obtaining an Arbitration Court award in order to obtain what we feel we earn? Is the arrangement §oynd, either logically, commercially, or morally? Trusting that you will give us the benefit of your experienced judgment,—l am, etc., RAGS. |Tf wc understand our correspondent's complaint, the girls are paid overtime when they are forced to work beyond tho usual hour owing to delay in receiving material, due to the factory not producing at normal rate. They are not paid overtime when they work late to effect a clearance of the day's waste when it has accumulated as the result of the absence of one or more of their number. Seeing that the pay of those absent from duty is stopped, it would seem, if the facts stated cover the matter, an injustice is being done> If representations to tho employer on the lines stated have been made without result, the only alternative is to form a union and have the matter thrashed out on its merits before the Conciliation" Commissioner, or in the Arbitration Court. The matter, however should be capable of. adjustment between the girls and their employer.]