ARBITRATION COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 292, 10 December 1925, Page 9

ARBITRATION COURT.

FREEZING WORKERS' AWARD. FAY FOB FEMALE EMPLOYEES. IX PRESERVING DEPARTMENT. Should female workers in the preserving department of the freezing works be paid the minimum rate of 2/ per hour as fixed in the award for males, or are they exempt? This was the first question I submitted to the Arbitration Court this ! morning. Mr. Justice Frazer presided, I having with him Messrs. W. Scott and |H. Hunter, assessors for employers and I employees. ! Mr. Tuck, for the union, submitted I that there was no provision in the award (to pay female workers in the preserving department other than the rates set out for males. Some branches of the work were specially mentioned, but there was nothing dealing exclusively with the females employed in preserving meat. ■ Mr. F. V. Sanderson, for the employers, said there was no desire on the I part of the employers to pay female I workers other than a fair rate, but he I submitted it was not contemplated when the existing award was made that the ! females should be paid at the same rate las the men. As a matter of fact, steps had been taken to bring representatives of the parties before the Conciliation Council, the object of the employers being to have a supplementary award made to cover females in the preserving department. The girls were only 18 years of age, the work they did required no expert knowledge, and he submitted it was absurd to contend they should be paid the same as experienced men. Mr. Tuck, said it was not the intention of the union to get in the thin edge jof the wedge • and get equal pay for men and girls, but the present question was merely a legal one, and as the work of the females in the preserving department came within "all other workers," he contended their pay should be 2/ per hour. The Court reserved its decision. NORTHERN TIMBER WORKERS. AGREEMENT REACHED. In the Northern timber workers' dispute when it was set down for hearing I this inorning, a conference between the parties resulted in an agreement being reached. Most- of the - terms of the previous award still apply, but the new agreement gives the workers an increase in the rate of pay, and there are also minor alterations in the conditions of employment. The Court will later file an award in terms of the settlement • reached.