The Grievances of Hotel Porters.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 48, 9 February 1912, Page 3

The Grievances of Hotel Porters.

By CARUIE

The person who roe ni'y siau>d in

"'The Uurliir," that hotel employees Hero til. i,111.-lli (1 lOllld liul have UtUM"eil more muiilul wuulo. Aj icgaids tin l hotel pui it-..-., on whose behaii 1 am making this appeal to all l,i;i-iiihiih»u men, wo are indeed .iis-aiK-itud and disgusted -nil i.i our lot. Almost, all tho ■.voikrrs oi' this eounlry enjoy a woi-k----h.g wtek of :IS hours, with Sunday off. \v'e have G-3 hours' work in a week. Sunday iiiehuied, but with one hallday oil, and we often exceed that nu.i,ber- agai.isi oui .vill. In alines', evorj case we .<!o .not. work stated hours, with regular .intervals for meals, but have do go off during the day at the boss s pleasure and make it up at liighr. lionee we are deprived of nearly «il evening entertainm. ntj. What would lie. the feelings of workers generally if f-hoy were told to 'Go oil' now, but, make it up to-night." They would not, tolerate such a condition of affairs, but that is what we have to put up.with. Cannot v.c have an eight-hour day, with only a break for meals till the ; day's work is completed!' Ii it impossible.. 1 think not. With a little extra expense, a little kindly effort, a little reorganisation, this genuine grievance could be easily remedied. Believe me,'l do not think that in any oilier employment will you and such Muffing from one place to another as is tho case with 'hotel porters: and this continual shifting cannot bo good tor either employer or employee, and is sufficient proof that ; there is something ""rotten in the "state of Denmark." One has to be a "era\V|er"—against his will — to bo able to stop at one job. and if a lad' is the only support of hi« widowed mother ho cannot take chances of losing his situation by "kicking" against tho 'unjust conditions. 1 know many fellows who were invested with the order of the sack, and are now either out/of work or in another job, because they 'refused to break the rules on Ultimo sheet.- Is this fair", is it reasonable !- How much longer are we to go on in this way? Then as to wages. It is an everyday thing to see .men: 30 years-and over as hotel porters, but you will" rarely find a married man among them, for the wages are too small to permit of such a ""luxury" as marriage. Head porters get 275. o\l. weekly and keep; night porters usually the same. Other porters get 2os. and keep.' If we sleep at home nothing extra is allowed. •'What about the tips!"" says .someone. Let mc remind your readers that the rich am not so generous with the money they possess on account of the growth of Socialism. Jt .should lie an easy mater to arrange an .eight-hour day. with only a break for meals, and 1 trust that such 'a ill soon be satisfactorily agreed upon. Let's have an award that's not a sham one, and also adopt measures to see that its rules are observed. A better adjustment of .conditions is absolutely necessary, and when a thorough understanding is created between employers and employed it is sure to 1m to the benefit of both parties, but such will never ■oomo under the present state of affairs. In conclusion, may I ask those who are able to better our -conditions to lie not only sympathetic in words but in deeds also.

P.S.—I am afraid to mention my name when making an appeal of ihix kind.