WAGE-EARNING WOMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 253, 22 October 1892, Page 2

WAGE-EARNING WOMEN.

THE TAILOR ESSES' DIFFICULTY,

CONFERENCE WITH EMPLOYERS1!

ASSOCIATION,

Yestebdat afternoon a Conference tool: place between a deputation fiom the Auckland TailoresscB1 Union and the Auckland Employers' Association, with reference to the difficulty which has arison between tho Union and some of th& local manufacturers as to the scale of wogoo paid to tbo tailoresses employed by the firms. The Union decided to appeal to the Employers' Association to use its btst endeavours to bring the matter to a settlement, and as will be seen, this appeal proved to be attended with a considerable degree of succors as far aa the interests of tho tuiloreaaea were concerned.

A special meeting of the Employers Association was held yesterday afternoon for tho purpose oi meeting the deputation, Mr A. H. Nathan presiding. The deputation from the Union consisted of Miss H. R. Morrison (goneral secrotnry to the Zealand Federated Tailoresses Union), Mias Biriey (secretary Auckland Tailoresses Union), and tho Hon. William Jennings, M.L.C. (President of tho Union).

The Chairman said he understood the questions in dispute were log or piece wortc, and also tbo number of apprentices. Tho Association was not preparea to commit thomsolvos one way or the other until the wholo mattor had been thoroughly geno ittto.

Misa Morrison atatod that matter* bad como to a deadlook Id regard to the affairs of tho Union, and as the interests of fully 3,000 women were atfeotod by the questions ab issue, bhe Union telb they were Adopting tho right course in approaching the Employers' Association with the object, of requoHting them to arbitrato in tho matter, Binoo parb of the objects of tho Employers' Association reads, " Thab the Association is formed' by tho employoro of labour with tho object of providing a recognised body having authority to deal with the authorised and responsible representatives of labour, who Bhall boempowored to settle any deferences between employers and employed." Miss Morrison then gave a short synopsis of the events which had transpired between the manufacturers and the Union, since tho Union lasb approached tho Employers' Association, ana stated that four firms wero willing to coma to a Bettlemenb with the Union, and four word not. The names of those who wore willing to como to & Rottlomonb with tho Union wore—Messrs Clark and Son, Ehrmann, Fry and Mrs Davy ; those who held aloof were Messrs MoArbhur and Co., Powley, Moran and Breda.

Mr M. Clark said that the four firms mentioned had nob absolutely agreed to all the terms eubmittod by the deputation on bohalf of the Tailoresses1 Union.

Continuing Miss Morrison said, that every means had been adopted by the Union to bring matter! to an amieablo sottlemont, but al! negotiations with the four firms rnmod had failed. One firm had refused to recognise tho Union at all. The Union now depended on tho Association to use its bust endeavours in the direction of eoltling all disputes. Tho Union waa opposed to strikes and such unsatisfactory methods, and it now askod the Employers' Association to endeavour to bring about a settlement on tho following basis :— That employers have tho right to employ Unionists or non-Unionist'. But they pledge thomsolvod that they will take no ox.coption to any girl for belonging to tho Union, and they will not in any way pre vent or use their influenco with theii" employees to induce them nob to join the Union, and also that their employees or officials of.tho Union havo the righo to usemoral suasion to porsuado non-Unionists omployed by them to become Unionists. They also will have no objection to delegates bainjr appointed in their factories and workrooms, for the purpose of lobkinc aftor tho interests of the Union, provided it is done outside of working hours. That the Union rule regarding apprentices come into force on January Ist, 1894. Thab the Union scalo of wages for apprentices be agreed to by manufacturers, which is us follows:—All apprentices to serve three months on trial, afterwards, if suitable, to be bound. Wages for trial, 2s 6d por week. ' (Joab apprentices to bo bound for two years, vest apprentices to be bound for one year, trousers apprentices to be bound forgone yoar, mole handß to be bound for six months; coat hands, first 6 months, &s por weok j coat hands, 6 to VI months, 7i fld per week: coat hands, J2 to 18 months, 10s per week ; coat hands, 18 to 24 months, 12s per weok : vest handc, first 6 month*, 6s per week; vest hands, 6 to 9 months, 7a 6d per week; vest honds, 9 to 12 months, 10s per week ; trousers hands, first 6 months, 5s per woek j trouserß hands, 6 to 9 months, 7s 6d per week ; trousers hands, 9 to 12 months, 10s per week. That the manufacturers conwider and agree to a log for expert workers, also providing that in the meantime no undue liberty in discharging exports ohall be taken advantage of. Mr Finlayson thought that if a weekly scale of wages could bo agreed upon for small factories, whore the work was mixed, it might be more satisfactory than a piecework log to them. Mr Kowo thought that the Employers' Association should make it as clear as possible that they were anxious to bring the matters at issue to a satisfactory close. Mr Grnros Aicken asked if tho Union would allow any slight modifications in regard to the basis of settlement, as submitted by the Union. Mr Jenningß said the Union, in seeking arbitration, was prepared to agree to any slight modifications being considered. The Chairman, in oloeine the. meeting, promised that the Aesoelation Would do' ite utmost to effect a conciliation as foon as possible. " ' . ... . The deputation then retired.