SHEARERS RATES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 223, 20 August 1937, Page 7

SHEARERS RATES

FURTHER EXPLANATION. /

MEETING AT FEUDING. REPLY BY FEDERATION. Explanations of the operation of the award covering shearers and shed workers wero placed before 1 a special meeting of*, the Feilding branch of the Farmers’ Union, today, in a letter from the secretary of the New Eoaland Sheep fanners’ Federation. At a prwious meeting much concern was expresesd at the rates for shearing this year, 3;4s per ]OO, with 4s per day per man where he was not “found.” The explanation offered by the letter caused little comment except on the point of the 4s a day in lieu of “found.” After a discussion it was decided to write to

the federation asking for a ruling as to whether the 4s a day had to be paid when shearers were standing by owing to wet weather or some such circumstance and when those men were actually doing other work elsewhere. Emphasis was laid on the point that the farmers did not object to paying higher rates when prices were better, but it was felt that the rates, this year, were too high. There should be a maximum, several speakers, said.Those present were Messrs H. D. Richardson (chairman), J.. H. Mason, G. Watt, D. L. Younger, W. G. Booth, T. E. Craine, E. Petty, and H. A. Stewart. An apology for absence was received from Mr Bruce McLeod;

FEDERATION’S LETTER. The secretary of the federation, writing under date of August 11, advised that his executive had instructed him to state that the basis on which the scale was arranged was fully set out in the clauses ot the award (which he enclosed), while the operation of the scale providing for a rise or fall in tho shearing rates, in accordance with the rise or fall in the Dominion average prices of wool, was clearly shown on an enclosed chart, the principle being that the shearers and shed hands participate in any increase in prices received in the ratio agreed on, and were also affected by any lowering of prices below the base fixed for last season. The Feilding committee was evidently unaware of the difficult position which had to be faced by the employers’ assessors at the Conciliation Council sitting last year, owing to legislation passed by the Government, both an the Finance Act and in the Arbitration Amendment Act, which made it compulsory, under the Statute, to revert to the 1931 rates of pay and also imposed a limitation of 40 hours for a working week, with a proviso that the worker was to be given rt sufficient rate of pay to ensure that his weekly wage was not reduced as a result of the reduction in hours worked. The workers’ representatives could, under the law, have obtained 34s 6d per 100 sheep shorn for last season with wool on the 9d a pound average. The employers’ assessors, the majority of whom were'North Island sheepowners, decided that it would be preferable to make a compromise with the ■Workers’ Union, if at all possible, tho result being that although the pitch and base lines of the scale were each higher than had been arranged m previous years, the assessors were able 1o fix last vear’s rates, as the meeting knew, at 27s per 100 for work with machines, with shed hands pay as shown oti the chart with wool at 9a a pound, which was 2sd a- pound higher than that realised for the pievious year’s clip. It would bo noted that, had wool receded in price, the rates would have come down m proportion from 275, but fortunately the employers had received an additional Old per pound average. The-extra rate paid to shearers, on the scale, repiesented id per sheep, and lor shed hands fid, «■ total °, f G cl a sh ? ep J whereas the increased prices received meant, at 6fid per pound and,.taking tin average of 81b a sheep, the increased return to the employer was 54d a sheep. The Sheepowners n executive assured that the leilcl ing committee would agree that it was most satisfactory, that the substantial rise i.rt the price of wool had made it possible to give added inducement to" competent shearers and shed workers to carry on shearing for. •the coming season, as both woruei.. and employers would benefit when the eliding scale principle was adopted. NORTH ISLAND WOOLS.

The writer stated he was also directed to point out that the relative rise in value was very much higher last season with respect to crossbred wools generally than was the case with Merino and halfbred wools. There were only two per cent, of Merino sheep in the whole of the Dominion and reference to the Afanganui wool sale prices would demonstrate the very great relative increase in price received for the coarser grades ot wool as compared with, previous years. The bheopowuers’ Federation executive was surprised to learn that the farmers’ committee had suggested action with a view to obtaining a separate North Island award, as the existing award was a Dominion one and could not be varied unless by order of the Aibitration Court. Mr H. D. Acland, preside d of the federation, with, it was hoped, some members .of the executive, intended if possible' to visit Feilding next month, at the request of seveial prominent sheepowners as a lesult of which it was honed that arrangements might be made for sheepowners in that area who were employers of labour to obtain representation on the federation council, and tbe opportunity of expressing their views on industrial or any other matters affecting the sheepowning industry. . . Answering a question as to a ration allowance, the letter stated it had been held by the Labour Department on several occasions that sheaicrs who found their own rations were entitled to 4s a day allowance for the whole of the period from the commencement of the shed to the cut-out, it being held that they were required to hold themselves at the disposal of the employer. The Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union advised that consideration would he given to the question of a North Island shearers’ award, the matter being important. MEMBERS’ COMMENTS.

The chairman said the federation had certainly “taken notice.” Mr Booth, replying to Mr Younger, said this vear’s scale was based on last year’s prices. A previous scale had “run out ” ~ 'The chairman said there was a minimum, but no maximum. Mr Online: That w the trouble The former scale, said Mr Booth, had been lower than this one, hut this had had to be based on the 1931 rates. |,n*t vear, said Mr Younger, the employers 'had paid too much. It was unsatisfactory m that the price was shown as 34s per 100, vet it was 3, s Why did it not say so? Most of the men were local , residents and when they were off 1 hey had other work to go to and yet the four shillings a day had to he paid all the while. The four shillings a day was the stumbling block. Mr Booth knew one man who had had to pay £SO before he had started shearing. Referring to the comment ot Mi

Cook, secretary of the union, on the subject, Mr Younger said come of the comment was most, uncalled for. Any man on the street appeared to think lie was a farm labourer. That was not so. A farm labourer had to be broken in for the work. The chairman agreed about some of the comment being uncalled for. ■ It only tended to cause dissension, said Mr Younger. If a man went away and worked, had the farmer to pay 4s a day to him? Mr Craine asked. Mr Booth said that the men were earning money at wood-cutting or something else yet they were ready to start when the sheep were dry. “STANDING-BY” PAY.

Mr Craine said a definite answer had not been received from the federation on that point. If a shearer came to him and wet weather set in, and he employed the man at 16s a day, full standard rates, did the eniployer have to pay 4s a day as well? Mr Mason moved that the federation be written to asking for a clarification of the point as to whether, if a shearer worked elsewhere while waiting to commence or resume, did the 4s a day have to be paid? Mr Craine seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously. The chairman asked if there were further comments and Mr Younger queried what the federation represented. Was the Farmers’ Union represented? The chairman said he did not think so. Mr Younger: Then I think it is tunc the union was.

Mr Craine thought the federation operated only in Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay and Canterbury. The chairman: Principally where there are big sheepowners. Mr Booth said he had contributed occasionally to the federation’s funds, yet ho had no ray in its affairs. The chairman : When Mr Acland comes to Feilding we should have quite a lot of questions to ask him. Mr Craine said he had been twitted after the last meeting as to whether the owners were agreeable to any rise at ail. He had said “Yes, a rise is due but it is too high. Thirty shillings and found is reasonable.” The meeting did not object at all to a rise and the public should know. It was only the amount that was objected to. Mr Younger added that it was the extra 4 S that had given concern. Mr Mason said that the opinion seemed to Ire that the rise and fall ot the graph was too steep. “T have no trouble with my shearers,” said Mr Craine. “Tn general, the shearers throughout tbe country are verv fine fellows. They are going to be farmers some day and we get on very well together. It should not go out that we oppose any rise at all. It is ridiculous, though, not to have a maximum.” Mr Petty said comment had already been made in a Labour party on the farmers not wanting to g’ve any increase. It was quite right to make the point Mr Craine had stressed. The chairman: We do not begrudge the shearers a rise, but it should not be excessive. Mr Stewart: I think it is very unjust that the Farmers’ Union does not have a sav in fixing these rates. The chairman: Representatives ot the federation are coming here and we could thrash it out then. Mr Craine: Call a meeting ot the Farmers’ Union members to meet On the motion of Mr Booth, it was decided to hold over this matter until the representatives of the federation are in Feilding.