RESTAURANT WORKERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 942, 8 April 1930, Page 11

RESTAURANT WORKERS

ARBITRATION COURT DISPUTE Press Association WELLINGTON, Monday. The hearing of the tearoom and restaurant workers’ portion* of the dispute now before the Arbitration Court was concluded today. On the Bench were Mr. Justice Frazer, Mr. W. Cecil Prime, employers’ representative, and Mr. A. L. Monteith. workers’ representative. Mr. S. E. Wright appeared as advocate for the employers and Mr. E. Kennedy for the employees. Mr. Wright submitted that the evidence supported the need of providing for learners in the kitchen, whose wages should be based on age and service. While the case was not strong for three years’ training in the dining room, he said, something more than six months, as at present, was required. He suggested a probationary period of 18 months for girls under 19 and 12 months for girls over 19.

Mr. Kennedy said the court had not yet stated what should be a living wage for women, nor had it laid down any principles for guidance where women workers in the industry were concerned. They asked for a living wage. “The principal consideration in arriving at tlio wage,” he said, “should be the happiness, health and future of the woman, which is of the utmost importance to the community. There should be a recognition of woman’s permanent position in industry and commerce, instead of its being regarded a* an episode in her life. “The wages she is able to earn at any occupation should be sufficient for her to dress in a manner consistent with womanly dignity and selfrespect, and to allow of her observing the change of fashions and seasons, and to allow her to have a period of rest each year.”

Y.M.C.A. SEEKS EXEMPTION

Press Association WELLINGTON, Monday. Application was made by the Wellington branches of the Y.M.C.A. and Y -W.C.A. for exemption from inclusion as parties to the private hotels’ dispute, when the case opened in the Arbitration Court today. Miss Tocker, lor the Y. W.C.A., said the institution was for philanthropic purposes and for the spiritual, mental and social improvement of its members. Mr. E. Kennedy objected, on behalf of the union, saying that if the Y.W.C.A. only catered for its members there might be something in it. Mr. Justice, Frazer said the association came under the Incorporated Societ I s Act. If they made profits they went back into the general funds .of the association for the work of the association. Miss Tocker said there had been no profits, for the restaurant had lost £2OO recently. Mr. L. Greenberg said there had been no changes in the objects of the Y.M.C.A. since the last exemption. It was not the policy of the Y.M.C.A. to cater for the general public. Mr. Kennedy contended that anyone could walk into the restaurant and obtain a meal. The rates for boarders, he said, were no cheaper than they could obtain elsewhere. The Y.M.C.A. had recently spent some thousands of pounds on a new dining room, and it competed with the restaurants nearby. Mr. Greenberg said the association recently spent £5,000 on the old building, which had been standing 21 years, and the dining room was remodelled. They borrowed money from the Public Trustee to do the work. It was not correct to say that the dining room j was open to the public. There were j rare occasions when strangers went in, but the average daily takings at the counter were 10s, the bulk of which came from ordinary members of the association who were not residents. His Honour said the Court would no doubt have other applications, all of which would be considered when making the award.