THE BASIC WAGE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 176, 21 April 1919, Page 6

THE BASIC WAGE

ARBITRATION COURT'S DECISION ' CLASSES OF SKILL " Br Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, April 19. ' The President of the Arbitration Court recently intimated that the Court had in view the arranging of a basis of wages for different classes of workers. The Court has now filed a memorandum dealing with the scheme. The memorandum states that it is undesirable that the rates of wages of work-, ers in an industry should be liable to .variation at short intervals. The Court has' determined to fii the basis of wages as follows:— , Skilled workers, Is. 7Jd. per hour. Semi-skilled workers, is. $d. to Is. 6d. per hour (according to degree of skill). Unskilled 'workers, Is. Bjd. per hour. The Court has decided that adjustments of war bonuses should bo made half-yearly. The Government Statistician had advised that half-yearly periods ending March 81 and September 31) would be most equitable, and had undertaken to prepare index numbers showing the variation in the cost of living. To the abovo. wages a bonus of 2Jd. per hour is to be added, to compensate the workers for the further increase in the cost of living up to March 31 last. This bonus' will be readjusted as on March 31 eaoh year. The scheme is a- hard-and-fast rule, but is. subject to modification •if -< necessary,- and it is hoped that'it •will be a working guide for Conciliation Councils. The bonus is excluded from the computation of payment for overtime. The Court, has determined in future to (jrant substantial increases in amounts for' overtime, as being inimical to health. 'Overtime will be paid at the rate of time and a half of the first three hours, and thereafter ■at double time, in the hope -that overtime-may thus be largely .reduced. ~■. The. present statement has no application with, regaiij to the wages of females nor of workers on weekly or monthly salaries. Such cases will be dealt with on their merits.