BREACH OF AWARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 907, 26 February 1930, Page 11

BREACH OF AWARD

DIVERSION OF GIRL MACHINISTS The opinion that it was a breach of award to employ girl apprentices from the machinery department in operating a machine for laying-up material in factories engaged in'making shirts, pyjamas and similar garments, was expressed by the Arbitration Court today. In giving this .interpretation of the 1 Shirt. White and Silk Workers’ award? sought by the Inspector of Awards, Mr. G. F. Grieve, the Court also held that only journeymen cutters or appi*entice cutters could be engaged in operating this machine. Mr. Justice Frazer added that it was open to the parties to frame an agreement, to provide for girl apprentices or anj-one edse performing the unskilled portion of layingup work. ; The ruling was asked because a city I Arm. which had a machine for layingup the cloth preparatory to chalking up and cutting, was using female machinst apprentices to work it for the first month or two lief ore the girls were sent on to other departments Representatives of the Auckland Tailors’ and Tailoresses* Unions, Mr. W. Moxham and Miss A. Cornev, contended that the operating o? layingup machines did not come within the scope of machining work. Mr. Hogben. on behalf of the firm, argued that no skill was required by yirls operating the machines.