SHEARERS’ AWARD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 1 September 1942, Page 2

SHEARERS’ AWARD

WORKING HOURS RAISED DURING WAR INCREASED WAGE RATES A new shearers’ and shed hands award, with effective application in the Northern, Taranaki. Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland, Canterbury and Otago and Southland industrial districts for a period of three years from 31st July last, has been made by the Court of Arbitration. The award, subject to a proviso noted below, limits the normal hours of shearing to 44 a week, all shearing to cease at noon on Saturday except where 44 hours have not been worked in any one week, when shearing may extend to 4 p.m. Not more than nine hours may be worked on any one day, and they must be worked between the hours of 5 a.m. and 5 p.m.. or 5.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. As a war measure, shearing shall stop at 4 p.m. on Saturdays, except when 48 hours and 20 minutes’ work shall heve been done before noon, in which case the work may be stopped then. When shearing wet ewes, the shed manager may alter the intervals for smoking and extend the hours to the extent of half an hour, in order .o complete the cut-out.

The minimum wage rates for the various classes of work ..r . set out in the award as follows, the increases being shown in parentheses:—

Shearing by machine, £1 13s per 100, with rations (2s per 100); shearing lambs, £1 13s per 100, with rations (2s per 100); shearing by hand, £1 15s 6d per 100, with rations (2s per 100); shearing stud sheep and hogget rams, rate and one-half, and for other rams, double the ordinary rate; shearing double-fleeced sheep, rate and one-half (this is a new provision). In cases where the shearers find themselves in rations an allowance of 5s a day is to be paid (Is increase).

A concession to the shortage of workers is made by an alteration of the proportion of learners to shearers. The new proportion is one learner to four shearers, compared with the previous rate of one to five.

For shed hands the following rates will apply: Pressers, £4 18s a week, 2s 8d an hour; all other shed hands, £4 8s a week, 2s 6d an hour. (The increases in these two classes of workers are 6s a week, 2d an hour.) Cooks: For 12 men and under £5 8s a week or £1 0s Cd a day. Where more than 12 men are employed, the wages are to be increased by 2s 6d a week for each additional man, and where the number exceeds 18, an assistant shall be employed. Where more than 28 men are employed the rate is to be fixed by mutual agreement. (The cooks’ wage rate is increased by 6s a week, or Is a day). Cooks’ assistants: £4 13s a week or 17s a day (increase 6s a week or 8d a day). The same allowances if rations are found by the men is to be paid as to shearers. Crutching rates are raised by Is 6d per 100 to 8s per 100 and found. A clause in the award covering wages for the 1943-44 and 1944-45 seasons, prescribes the adjustments to be made in accordance with the movement of wool prices as determined by the Government Statistician’s index numbers.