The Bonus Cut

Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1922, Page 4

The Bonus Cut

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INANGAHUA miners. R E'KF'l ON. Ma v 12.

Ti.e lining lima Miners’ Union which recently filed a dispute under the Arbitration Act, of 11)22, has succeeded in its application to he excluded from the wage cut contained in the recent genei a I order of the Court.

FOR NEWSPAPER WORKERS WELLINGTON, May 12.

The secretary of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association has advised the members of the association that in order to give effect to the reduction m wages authorised by the Court’s general order, it is ne. cssary to give each employee oil weekly wages a week’s notice q! tho intention to reduce wages. IRON WORKERS WAGE CUTS BEGIN, CHRISTCHURCH, May 12. At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Ironmasters’ Associations, the question as to the best action to adopt in connection with tile general order of the Arbitration Court in reducing wages os per week was considered. It was resolved to observe tho order, and to -J.i ro all the- award wages accordingIv.

The agricultural implement section has already anticipated the reduction b.v seducing its wages eqimalent to Ids per week. This redi etion in wages dated from Mrach 1, that lieing the commencement of ilie seasonable sales.

Tuo engineering section will reduce tiie hourly rate of charges for jobbing and open order work as from May Id. It is hoped this will react upon trader to tae extent of increasing tin* amount of work offering, and thus extend em. ]-1 oymclit to some at least who now are either oil short time cq- entirely |inci)|Ilhiytd.

THE BONUS. WELLINGTON,, May 12 The following i.s a summary of the •statement ol the Wellington Trades Unions on! the bonus question: “If the award rates did not keep pace with prices on the up grade, as i.s admitted hv the Court, and the reduction represent a movement cA prices on t|ie down grade, then as a logical sequence, the purchasing power of wages is now below the 1914 standard.”

After dealing with the terms in the pronouncement “fair standard of living,’ and “bare living wage,’ the statement says:—“The total adult wage workers in the Dominion under awards is 70,000, and not 375,000, as the Court assumes. The effect of the reduction wi:l In; approximately C 1,000,000 taken out of the pockets of the wmrkers annually. The Court’s decision is so inequitable that the unions arc* recommended to take steps to have the ease reopened a-t the earliest opportunity.