CLERICAL WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1939, Page 13

CLERICAL WORKERS

WAGES OF SENIORS

PROPOSAL DISCUSSED

, A proposal for an additional 2s 6d per week for seniors, bringing the rates for males and females to £5 12s 6d and £3 7s 6d respectively, was made by the workers' assessors when the conciliation council .dealing /with the Dominion (except Canterbury) clerical workers' dispute resumed its sitting today. The proposal was in settlement of the wages question, with substantially the other provisions in the old award. On behalf of the workers it was suggested thaf the employers stood to lose more if substantially higher rates were awarded to juniors by the Court than if the comparatively small increase were granted to seniors. Apart from the strong case that could be made out*for junior workers, it was considered that a good case could be put up for seniors on the question of the increased cost of living. Employers' assessors emphasised the increasing difficulties of establishments maintaining staffs even at reduced level on account of import restrictions and other factors, and one speaker mentioned that at a meeting of Auckland employers there had been a practically unanimous feeling that the rates of play for clerical workers' should be reduced. He added that among employees in Auckland there was a general recognition that drastic retrenchment would have to. be made in many cases after the holidays. Mr. ,W. N. Pharazyn, agent for the workers, said that^ apart form political considerations, there was bound to be a general reduction in purchasing power as the war went on. They were trying to make up some of the, real wage reduction that the workers had suffered already by giving them something to come and go on in the next twelve months/ , Mr. C. A. Deuxberry, an employers' assessor,; expressed the view that, by the time the award proceedings came before the Court the position of most importers would have deteriorated very considerably. . Reference was made to the burden of costs borne by businesses associated with primary production, and it was asserted that the present conditions did not warrant an increase in the wages of clerical workers. The. proposal was still under discussion when the luncheon adjournment was taken. Considerable progress was made with machinery clauses yesterday afternoon and this morning. , HOURS OF WORK. On the question of hours of work the following provisions were agreed to:— "Where .the business or branch.of a business in which a clerical worker is substantially employed is covered by an award or industrial agreement, the hours of work of such worker shall be those fixed by such award or industrial agreement. "Where the hours of work of a business or branch of a business are not covered by an. ■ award or industrial agreement, but are fixed by the Shops and Offices Act or the Factories Act, or by order of the Court of Arbitration, such hours shall constitute the hours of work of such clerical workers." • ■ It was also agreed that in other cases the hours should be those normally worked in the industry concerned, but not exceeding 40 per week, and that where two. or more awards were operating in a business the question of which award should apply for the purpose of determining hours of work should lie settled between the employer and the union representative. The overtime and annual holiday provisions in the current award were retained. The exemptions agreed to included the clerical staff of any trotting, hunting, or racing club other than its permanent office staff, clerical workers employed in the office of any licensed hotel, workers eligible for membership of any union of employees of public j accountants, architects, surveyors, or stock and. station agents.