BOOT FACTORY WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 281, 26 November 1919, Page 6

BOOT FACTORY WAGES.

1 * J APPUCATION FOR INCREASE. 1 DECISION RESERVED. (By Telegraph—Press Association* ■ i| . WEiZSgtON, this day. " 2 The Arbitration Court reserved ite de cision in the application of the New 2ea 1 land Boot Trades Association for an in" crease in wages under the War Leirisla* f tion and the Statute Law Amendment 1 Act, 1918, and for shorter hours for mafe r operators. It was asked that the mini J mum wage should be not less than I/71 1 per hour, and 2id. bonus, that reeular ; hour s of work sAould be between 7.30 J a.m. and 5 p.m. on five days of the ' weet and 7.30 a.m. and 12 noon on I the recognised factory half holiday, and ! that the ordinary working week' should consist of 44 hours, any time worked , beymd these hours to be paid for at the rat! of time and a half. For female ope-atives it was aeked that the houra '. of v.ork ehould be tie same as for males, ; and that the minimum rates should be j —fenaleg working at the boot and shoe . J industry, and having served five years , ■ and upwards, £2 2/6 a week, computed . by ihe hour ; hot-wax thread machinists . £2 10/ a week, and if not worked con- • tiniously for that period, to be paid per hoir at the same rate. The grounds of 1 ' the application were increase in the cost ! of iving as declared by the Government i Statistician's figures, and the unhealthi- , nes of the trade.