APPRENTICES' WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 232, 1 October 1928, Page 5

APPRENTICES' WAGES.

PAINTING AND DECORATING.

REDUCED BY THE COURT

Apprentices to the painting and decorating trade have had their schedule of wages reduced by the Arbitration Court, but the altered award will not affect thoee who entered into contracts prior to to-day.

The amended order is as follow*: — For apprentices whose age at the time of commencment of work does not exceed 17, first year, £1; second year, £1 7/t»; third year, £1 1 o/; fourth year, £2 2/6; fifth year. £2 10/. For apprentices commencing after 17. fir6t 'year, £1 2/0; second year, £1 12/G; third year, £2. and fourth year, £2 10/.

In announcing the decision of the Court, Mr. Justice Frazer states that the existing rates for the trade were considerably higher than the standard scale of rates. "A majority of the Court is of the opinion that no justification exists for the payment of the present rat,es in the trade." added his Honor. "In view of the fact that painters' apprentices are of use to their employers almost from the commencement of their apprenticeship, however, it has been decided to award rates in excess of the standard rates. The standard rates for the successive years of apprenticeship are 15/, 22/6, 30/, 37/0 and 45/ per week. The new rates for painters apprentices are fl, £1 7/(3, fl 15/, £2 2/ti and £2 10/ per week, with an additional 5/ and 7/<> respectively in the fourth and fifth years to those apprentices who pass the necessary examinations."

In a dissenting opinion, Mr. A. L. Montr it h (employees' asswor) states that the main reason advanced for the decrease in apprentices' wages were that the present rates were too high and apprentices unprofitable to employ. "The facts are that a larger number of apprentices are employed in New Zealand today than ever before, and in Wanganui, where the rates are the highest in New Zealand, every employer has his full quota," pointed out Mr. Monteith. "If apprentices are unprofitable it would be reasonable to expect a falling off in the number employed, but this is not so. On the grounds advanced I do not think a decrease in wages, averaging 10/ a week over the full apprenticeship in "the case of Wanganui, and 7/6 a week in other centres, is warranted."