HOTEL WORKERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 304, 18 August 1932, Page 6

HOTEL WORKERS

("Post" Speeial).

REDUCTION IN WAGES NO AGREEMENT REACHED IN DISPUTE REGARDING RATES PRESENT AWARD WILL EXPIRE.

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. After considering the dispute in the piivate hotel workers' award, no agreement had been' reached between the employers and employees in regard to an alteration in regard to wages and the classificution of workers when the Conciliation Coun-1-11 rose to-day. A motion by the employees that' the dispute be referred to the Arbitration Court was lost and the Commissioner (Mr. E. W. E. Gohns) stated ihat he would report the failure to the Clerlc of Awards. "L'ne existing Award would expire after a iapse oi 30 days. M. W. 3. Mountjoy represented the employers and Mr. J. Roberts the employees. Resuming after the parties had privately considered the question, Mr. Mountjoy said that the employers were dotermined to stand by their proposals in regard to elassification and wages. He read letters from a jiumber of employe-'s, all of whom expressed opposition to any proposal to refer the matter to the Court. One letter stated that unless the proposals oi' the employees were aeeepted the award eould go by ihe board. A worlcers' asscssor: That is conciliation. Mr. Roberts: Yes, compulsory conciliation. Mr. Mountjoy said they were quite prepared to come to an agreement with the workers. A woi-kers' assessor: Not making an agreement, dictating an agreement. Mr. Mountjoy: Unfortunately, we can't dietate to you. No doubt you would iike to — No, I would not say that. Mr. Roberts said he took ifc that the position was that the employers were sticking to their original claims. Mr. Mountjoy: That is the position. Quifce Unfair. M. Roberts: And that is your ider. of conciliation. Mr. Roberts declared that the proposals >f the employers would mean the dismissal of 50 per cent, of the present stalfs of private lioteis. Surely they did not seriously ask the employees to aceept such proposals, which were quite unfair. There was a definite move to replace the employees with juvenile labouv. Mr. H. J. C. Hughes (an employers' assessor) : There is no hotelkeeper who can work on juvenile labour. We must have experiencau wcrkers. Mr. Roberts: If yoti are not going to have juvenile labour, why makt piovision for it in your proposals? Mr. Mountjoy said that some of the private lioteis in New Zealand were in a desperate plight and could not carry on under present conditions. Unless they received some rolief they would go out of business The private hotels had been hit ir. many ways. People visiting the cities for sports fixtures and so on did not remain overnight, but retiuncd t..t same day. Mr. Roberts: Do you mean to say that by reducing tbi wages of waitresses you will get people to stay? We wi!l have the hotel.- operatmg with coolie wages. Mr. Alountjoj . Oh, no. Mr. Roberts said that whilr wishing to airive at an agreement, the workeis could not. aetopt the employers' present pi oposals. Mr. Hughes saal that the hote. propiietors had been hit more than anybody else. They had explo'ted every avenue of economy belore making the present proposals. Mr. Roberts: Have they exploited the paying of i'rigl.tful overkcad cbarges'- What you are trying to do is to put i. on io little girls to carry the burden of the banks. — Well, you will have" to put it on them your selves. We can't agree to it. It is too great a burden. Mr. Mountjoy said the employerr had not taken full advantage of the rates of pay allowed under the Shops and Oflices Act. Substantial Drop Mr. Roberts said that under the old award the lowest wage paid to male employees was £2/7/6d. Under the present proposals it would be 15s. That was a fairly tidy drop. Mr. Mountjoy said it had to be reniuiabered that the hotel employees receive free board and lodging, which was wortli 30s a week, That brought the wage up to £2/5s a week. Mr. Roberts: "A boy would be better off at home. He gets his board and lodging, but be has to stick there from eariy morning until late at night." Mr. Roberts added that the employers were committing economic suicide in asking for reduced wages, as it was the reduced wages which had made their business so bad. Mr. Hughes: We would Im as well dead as we are now. Mr. Roberts: I dun'i mind anybody committing suicide so long as hc doesn't try to put the other fellow in the hole as well. No Agreement. At the conclusion of the proceedings, Mr. Roberts said that it appeared that the employers were making no attempt at conciliation. Owing to the rationing at present in operatior the wages were about 50 per cent. below the awaid and they could not agiee to a reduction. He would be surprised if the Government allowed the boys and girls to go unprotected. Mr. Mountjoy said he was surprissc at the attitude of the workers in view of the general conditions }nevailing throughout the land. Rationing had been a greater burden to the employers than to the workers by reason of the fact that when a man went off for a week he still received free board and lodgings. After further discussion it was proposed by the workers that the dispute should be rtferred to the Arbitration Gourt, but this was lost. The Commissioner said he would report the result to the Clerk of j Awards, and the award would expire j at the end of thirty days. |