THE DAIRY FACTORY WORKER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 208, 3 September 1927, Page 8

THE DAIRY FACTORY WORKER.

I note with interest in Thursday's "Star" * report of an interview by a deputation representing dairy companies throughout 3few Zealand to the Prime Minister and Minister of Labour on the question of restrictions imposed en dairy companies by the Arbitration Court award, and asking for exemption from thi operation of the Act. Under the present Arbitration Court award the hours and wagei are as follow: Cheese factory workers' boms are sixty hours per week of seven dftTt from August 14 to May 14, from Jlav 15 to June 16 forty-eight hours, and from June 17 to August 13 thirty-eight hours. Butter factory hours are fifty-six per week of seven days from August 15 to Mpxch 15, and from March 16 to August 14 forty-four hours. The great majority of these workers are termed geneial bands, and for the above hours they reerive £A l/ a week, which, worked out on an hourly basis, clearly shows the workers to be practically the J owes t paid workers in New Zealand, despite the fact that they are employed in New Zealand's greatest industry, and by their work greatly contribute to the present wealth and prosperity of this country. In the Auckland "Star" of June 2, reference is made to the tremendous strides made in recent years by the dairying industry, and to the South Auckland Province as a dairyman's paradise with a magic flow of money, and be it noted that these tremendous strides have been made while the factory workers have been working under Arbitration Court awards, as these have been in existence for the past ten years. The hours of dairy factory workers are far in excess of any other class of workers in Xew Zealand, and their wapes the lowest, a wage of £4 1/ is not a fair and just recompense for sixty hours of labour covering * seven-day week, and especially taking into consideration that during the winter month? tbe factory staffs are reduced to a minima®. At the present time large numbers of dairy factory workers are in the ranks of the unemployed. We ask what do the farmer? want? Do they wish the dairy factory worker f to work longer hours, or do they wish them to work for a less wage than £4 1/! 1° the nature of the case it is impossible to do either. J. p. JOHN", Secretary, Dairy Factories Workers' Union.