THEATRICAL WORKERS’ AWARD

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 237, 4 July 1944, Page 2

THEATRICAL WORKERS’ AWARD

A new award covering front-of-house theatrical employees In Taranaki, lington, Marlborough, Canterbury and Southland has been Isued by the Court er Arbitration. . Minimum wages tor attendants tn pic* (lire theatres are increased to the following amounts: —Adult males, £4/10/4 a week; youths and females, £2/11/- a week; performance workers, 6/- a perfortnance, not exceeding three hours. Minimum rates fc.r male cleaners are Increasod to £4/13/4; casual male cleaners, to 2/44 an hour; casual female cleaners, to 1/16 nn hour. Any weekly worker required to work on seven days In any week is to lie granted one full day off without deduction from pay during the Immediately ensuing week. , In a memorandum to the award tiie Court: states:—“The weekly wages of female attendants in picture theatres have been increased to a gross figure of approximately £2/16/- a week (inclusive or general orders), this rate having been arrived at after giving due consl.deratioti lo tire fact that the maximum wren y hours of these workers is appreciably below 40. The practices regardiug the employment of firemen in theatres appear to vary considerably in different localities, and we do not feel that we adequate information to enable us to make auy satisfactory provision for snen workers’ In’ the award.” Mr. Monteith, in a dissenting opinion, rtates:—“The result of the wages awarded will be that female weekly workers have to live on less than 50/- a week, and female cleaners have not secured the eaiue conditions and payment for working broken shifts as is the rule everywhere else In New Zealand. Evidence was given that it was harder work cleaning theatres than offices, and of the extra cost tnat workers incurred in transport, besides inconvenience in attending on broken siiiits No notice has been taken of this evidence, nor of the conditions prevailing in ether industries for this class of work. bo. lor the service rendered, this wealthy industry secures its females cheaper than other industries' In New Zealand. I cannot understand why. No protection has been given theatre firemen. Lower wages tlnin for others who employ the same class ot workers, and wages that in tny «P' n ‘9” eaunot allow a reasonable standard of living, have been awarded, hence my total fiHssaat.”