DAIRY FACTORY WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 February 1920, Page 7

DAIRY FACTORY WAGES.

To tho Editor. Si , r vr l no ' lc « in your Issue 10-dny a letter W 'Cockle" in referenco to above. He is quite right, when he says six years ago 11 nrst assistant's wage was £2 lf,s. Now, compare Hits wage- wltii tho present £4 per week of 60 hours. Before the war, "Cockle" was getting is per lb for his cheese. Now lie gets 2s 1% in most cases. Therefore, his nett returns are higher by 110 per cent than pre-war and the wages are about 45 per cent higher for the same period. Where does the Rood wage come In V Then, as for allowances. Wo sot them before tho war, so there Is no benefit to be had from that concession. Re dirty batches. That is the manager's fault for not keeping the men up to the mark In cleanliness. I have been in factory- batchos whteh are kept better than some of the prlvatoi hotels that ona generally meets with. The unfair manner In which the men are employed Is another matter. Why should an experienced hand get the same wage as a green-horn who has never sewi a factory, let alone worked Sn one? Now, "Mr. Cockle", can you name any company that elves their assistant one full day off per week regularly? I think not. Some set half a day, when they are lucky. Tho fortnight's holiday is only equal to what a casual gets In 1* weeks' work. That's how good it Is. Work twelve (months for what another inexperienced man can, get In 14 weeks; vary good, is it not? In conclusion, I crji only say that a cheese and (butter-workers' union is the only .solution towards obtaining a fair wage.—l am, •*■» FIRST ASSISTANT, To tho Editor: Sir,—Factory hands will be pleased to see Your Own's" notes in reply to "Cheddar's'.' letter re land profiteering and factory wages. Sir, I crave spa«e for a few lines In reply as best I can to "Your Own's" remarks. The tone of "Cheddar's" letter seemed to be that the wages paid were not sufficient to live on, nor consistent wltJi the prices ruling for produce and land. I cannot speak for all factories, but It Is not the rule to provide free house accommodation to its employees. This is only done for the manager at each station, the staff snaring a "batch," and H a mnm chooses to marry he cannot take his wife there. Asout the'houses—well, the les3 said the hitter As for Sunday work, suppose a factory works for 38 weeks, this means that tho inan works 39 Sundays,, Christmas and otheir holidays. Does Your Own" think two weeks' holiday on pay Is equivalent to that? Would ho work those ? ay A f OT H da ys holiday and £7, and those holidays to be taken In the winter, the worst tfima of the year? The first assistant does have the advantage of being kept on -during the slack time a-iid has no grievance In that respect, but. what of those who toll through the heat of the day and are nr.t kept on through tho winter? There's the rub "Cheddar" does not object to the farmer getting all he earns, and I ani sure ho knows the long hours the farmer works, hut It is the farmer's own business ir he buys a farm too h gh-prlced for himself to work, and has to call tys wife and children to help him to meet his obligations. Remedy—Let him get a farm that ho can manage, and not one that chased him. True, Mr. Wal-tot-iol Correspondent, "Cheddar" doe 3 not have die worries and losses the "much- abused cooky" has to complain of, but I am sure he would willingly share them if the profits wen shared as well. The profit a man makes by selling hfo place Is due to the small nmmnt paid in working expenses and wages, and the smaller the wage the higher priced the tend.—l am etc.. WHEY.