THE JUMP IN WAGES
WAR-TIME INCREASES
GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN'S FIGURES
An interesting statement has been prepared by Mr. Malcolnm Eraser, Government Statistician, setting out increases in wages and wago rates in a, number of occupations since tho beginning of tho war. Mr. Eraser says that bu inspection of Arbitration Court awards and registered industrial agreements shows the following percentage increases of wages in a number of trades and industrial occupa,tious from July, , 1914, to July, 1918':Wages Percentage of increase. 'Aerated water workers 4.3 Bakers 26.2. Bootmakers, female ~...,.*». 14.5 Bootmakers, male *,- 12:5 Brewery employees _ 16.7 Bricklayers , ™. 19.4 Butchers, general hands .«..., 1^.5 Butchers,-shopmen ;... P . V.7 Carpenters ;....„ , 11.0 Coaohbnilders „.....«. ll.fi Coal miners -...». 18.0 Drivers 20.0 Electrical workors , „ 21.2 Engineers *.....,...., 21.0 Fellmongers ' „. 24.0 Flourniill workers .» 14.8 , Freezing workers „ 10.3 Furniture makers 20.0 Grocers' assistants 35.4 . General labourers ............ 13.2 Painters ■ „. 9.0 Plasterers 18.1 Plumbers 11.1 . ■ Printing machinists "». ;.. 7.7' Seamen ■ 27.4 Shearers ■ «•.... 37.5 Slaughtermen ................. 9.0 Storeraen , 23.7 Tailoresses 10.0 Timber workers ....< 20.0 Waterside workers 2-5.0 Woollen workers, male 24.4 Woollen workers, female ...... 28.0 In each case, tho increases, paid as war bonus have been included. Tho greater increases have been granted in the essential industries rather than in trades detrimentally affected by the war; Occupations which wero previously low-paid have also.shown a greater increaso than tlioso which, hejore the .war, were paid reasonably .high rates. Tlio increaso in the award rates,, however, does not adequately represent, the increase in the rates actually paid, Mr. Fraser continues. From inquiries recently made, there appears to be little doubt that' the scarcity of demand for labour (and particularly for skilled; labour) has tended to faring wages- payments above, the minimum laid down ■by awards. In other .words, the award , rates "havd generally tended' ■to become, under war conditions, true minimum rates rather than standard rates, , as they wero in previous years. '. ~ Further than' this, there is; evidence ihat actual earnings, have increased in greater proportion than have' the rates themselves. This is no doubt brought about by more constant employment, increase of overtime, increase ,of overtime rates, and concessions granted in regard to general working" conditions. There, has also been, apparently, a certain , absorption ihy skilled trades of workers previously in unskilled occupations. As an example of tire increase' 6£ earnings beyond the increase in wages rates, Mr. Fraser quotes figures relating, to tha-'State coal mines. The'rates Lave been.increased by si bonus of ,l"i per cent.-.to. contract, workers and, 20 per cent, .to wages men. The war in r crease to March 31, 1918, -is snown by' the. figures of the Mines Department, have bcwn 37.19 per cent, in, the PointHizabeth mine mid 30.76 per cent, in the Liverpool mine. An important indication of the ex'teut to which earnings have teen increased during tho war .is given by the official figures supplied to tho. Statistician's office by local governing bodies. !A. table shows that tho average annual earnings of unskilled labour, from 1914, to 3918, havo incrmsed from £150 ]os. to £173 10s. for. permanent men and! from £129 10s. to £370 for casual hands(an increase of 31.3 percent.). It was announced at tho .meeting of the.Harbour Board last evening that word had been received of the death in action on Septemljer. 2 of Private- P. A. Brooker, late .storemain on the board's permanent staff: The chairman (Mr. C. E. Danioll) stated tl:at Private Brooker was 37 years of ago.' He had , gone forward with, tlio Thirtysecond Reinforcements in November, ! 1917.. The deceased left a widow and one child. A letter of. condolence bad beon forwarded by the secretary.
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 1, 26 September 1918, Page 7
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589THE JUMP IN WAGES Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 1, 26 September 1918, Page 7
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