WAGES REDUCTION

Otago Witness, Issue 4031, 16 June 1931, Page 51

WAGES REDUCTION

COOKS AND STEWARDS’ UNION RESISTANCE TO REDUCTION. WELLINGTON, June 12. The court’s 10 pei- cent, cut, it is understood, has met with resistance by the members of the Cooks and Stewards’ Union in case of the Union Company’s Waimarino and Katoa, at present at Wellington. The Waimarino’s providore department had been signed off, and to-day the cooks and stewards refused “to sign articles at the amended rates. APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION. WELLINGTON, June 12. An application by the Cooks and Stewards’ Union for a new award is to come before the court on June 19, and an application for’ exemption from the 10 per cent, cut has already been filed by the union. The secretary of the Cooks and Stewards’ Union (Air Kennedy) is indisposed, and no other information is available.

STEAMERS HELD UP. WELLINGTON, June 13. The Union Company’s steamers Waimarino and Katoa are still held up by the refusal of the members of the Cooks and Stewards’ Union to sign articles embodying the 10 per cent, reduction in wages in accordance with the Arbitration Court’s general order. “ The position is unchanged,” stated an official of the Union Company to-day.

He also denied a rumour that the Waimarine’s cargo was being transhipped to the Alaheno, ■which sailed to-night for the south.

HARBOUR BOARD’S DECISION. GRADUATED SCALE APPROVED. A special meeting of the Otago Harbour Board was held on Tuesday evening to discuss the question of a reduction in the wages of the board’s employees and to consider the report of the sub-committee set up to go into the financial position of the board. There were present: Alcssrs J. Loudon (chairman), T. Anderson, W. Begg, A. Campbell, H. C. Campbell, J. AI‘C. Dickson, H. Al. Driver, F. E. Tyson, J. H. Duncan, D. F. H. Sharpe, Captain C. M’Donald, and J. B. Waters. After a lengthy discussion in committee, it was decided that there should be no reduction in salaries of £2OO or under; a 5 per cent, reduction in salaries from £2Ol to £400; 7£ per cent, in salaries from £4Ol to £6OO, and 10 per cent, in salaries from £6Ol to £lOOO. Before consideration of the wages question, a sub committee, consisting of the chairman and Alessrs Begg and Waters, submitted a comprehensive statement setting out the financial position of the board as estimated at September 30 next, and this was approved. At the commencement of the meeting the chairman brought up the question whether the matters to come under discussion should be taken in committee or in open board. Air A. Campbell said that he considered that the matter of the cut in wages should be taken in open board, and he would move in that direction. If they were going to discuss the wages cut, they should also consider a cut in harbour dues and other charges made by the board. They were guardians of the public purse, and the public had a right to know what they were doing. Air Anderson seconded the motion. Air Duncan moved as an amendment: “ That the matter be discussed in committee.” The finances of the board, he said, were closely interwoven with the question of a reduction in salaries. In reply to the chairman, Air Duncan said that he wished the amendment also to include the discussion of the sub-com-mittee’s report. Mr Waters seconded the amendment, which, on being put to the meeting, was carried. Messrs Campbell and Anderson dissenting. At Air Campbell’s request his protest against the amendment was recorded. APPEAL TO MANUFACTURERS PASSING ON THE SAVING. “I trust that manufacturers will do their utmost to reduce costs,” said the president (Air W. G. Kindley) at the meeting of the Alanufacturers’ Association last week, in referring to the 10 per cent, reduction in wages. “ I know that many have already done so, but we must assist the workers in making their money go as far as possible. It is true that some goods have been reduced to below cost, but I urge those who have been waiting for the reduction to pass the saving on to the public.” There were some small lines, the president continued, which could not be reduced in price, but he hoped that in those cases firms would employ more hands and help to alleviate the terrible position which existed at the present time.— (“Hear, hear,”) No one, of course, believed that a 10 per cent, reduction in wages would result in a 10 per cent, reduction in the cost of articles, but he believed that the matter could be safely’ left to the loyalty and patriotism of the manufacturers. He hoped that his appeal would not go unheeded. — (Applause.) CITY COUNCIL’S DECISION GENERAL CUT OF 10 PER CENT. The City Council at its meeting on Wednesday evening decided to make a 10 per cent, cut in the wages of its employees. The Finance Committee submitted the following report on the question :—“ In the matter of the recent general order of the Arbitration Court reducing wages under awards and agreements by 10 per eenf., in the case of employees paid monthly from June 1, and in the ease of weekly paid workers from June 8, the committee has considered references from the trading committees on the subject, and noiv begs to recommend that the order be made effective in respect of all the corporation employees affected, and that the salaries and wages of all other employees not governed by awards or agreements be likewise reduced. It is proposed that in the case of weekly paid wages the reduction should take effect as from the first pay period after the date fixed by the court, viz., June 8. The reduction in all other cases would < take effect as from June 1. The salaries of those junior members of the staff who are still on the increment grade would first be advanced by the regular inciement before being subjected to the reduction.” Cr Alunro said that he wanted to know why the clause should be taken in committee. The Deputy Alayor said that under a resolution passed by the council in 1917 all matters relating to the wages and salaries of employees were to be taken in committee. The Finance Committee’s recommendation was adopted in committee. Cr Marlow put forward a suggestion that salaries of £4 a week and under should not be reduced, but after consideration the matter was left in the hands of the Finance Committee, which was asked to investigate and make such recommendations as it thought fit to the council.