WORKERS REJECT OFFER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 13

WORKERS REJECT OFFER

More Money For Longer Hours PRINTERS’ DISPUTE Refusal To Depart From 40-Hour Week The offer of the employers to pay more money for longer hours of work caused a long discussion in Conciliation Council during the hearing of the application of the New Zealand Printing and Related Trades Union for a Dominion award. The printing trade employees were on a scale of wages relatively lower than for some years, said Hr. H. K. Baxter, advocate for the workers. Other workers had had their wages Increased, but all that had happened In the printing trade was that the gap between the wages of semi- skilled and skilled labour had narrowed. Mr. Chapman, M.P., one of the workers' assessors, said that the printing industry was phenomenally prosperous. A few men were out of work, but unemployment was scarcely known arid there was a good deal of overtime worked. The trade, and particularly manufacturing stationers, would be particularly busy as a result of the import control restrictions and prospects for the next 12 months were quite satisfactory.

There were three main issues on which the applicants intended to remain firm, said Mr. Chapman. The classification question, which the council had decided should Jgo to the Court of Arbitration, was one. Another was the need for two weeks’ paid holiday every year, and the third was the claim for moderate wage increases. A 5 per cent, increase when trade was booming and the market was on the rise was the least the employers could concede. Mr. E. W. Clarkson, advocate for the employers, referred to cost increases in the industry between 1935 and the end of 1937, and said that though Mr. Chapman had brightly prognosticated an era of industrial prosperity, he had made no mention of consumption being conditioned by selling price. The products of manufacturing stationers, for example, had to be reasonably cheap—it was not practicable to load up the price. Offer Not Accepted. After an adjournment. Mr. Baxter announced yesterday that the employers’ offer had been considered by the men and their answer was definite. They would not accept any wage increases if it involved sacrificing the 40-hour week. Mr. Chapman: I’d like to point out that the objective of the Government in its endeavour to increase production is not increased hours or increased production in itself but to maintain a higher standard of living, which includes a shorter working week. The adoption of a longer working week, induced by the bait of higher wages, would be running counter to the Government’s intention. Mr. Clarkson: I suggest the main objective of the Government in wanting to increase production is to protect the falling pound. Mr. Chapman: That is only incidental.

Mr. J. M. Hardcastle, an employers' assessor. How can you increase the standard of production unless the men work longer or harder. Mr. Chapman : You are ignoring the vital factor of machinery. The commissioner, Mr. M. J. Reardon: .As I see it, the proposal by the employers has been definitely refused and I take it that is final. It seems that it may be possible to get an increase in hours at something in advance of the present rate. Mr. Hardcastle: We’re not trying to dodge overtime. Mr. Baxter: We're not going to abandon the 40-hour week and that’s what giving four hours at ordinary time would amount to. After further discussion, Mr. Clarkson said that the employers bad invited the co-operation of the workers' and had hoped that their submissions would receive some consideration, but they had been idly brushed aside. The employers would remain firm on the maintenance of the classification. They would agree to no increase in wages because they believed them already uneconomicafty high and would remain firm in their aim for increased hours of work in those offices needing it. The employers were quite prepared to let those principal features go to the Court without, any further discussion. A deadlock having arisen on wages, hours, holidays, and the classification, the parties spent the remainder of the day discussing machinery clauses. Female Workers. The non-representation of female workers was criticized by Mr. B. Martin, secretary of the Auckland Female ■Printers’ Assistants’ Union, and it was agreed that during the discussion of female workers wages he should replace one of the assessors nominated by the New Zealand union. Mr. Baxter said that it was desired to eliminate the Auckland and Wellington female printers’ assistants’ awards and include those subject to them in the general Dominion award. Mr. Martin said his union had no objection to being cited as parties to the award, but they wanted a reasonable opportunity of being heard as they had been consulted by neither respondents nor applicants.