NEW BASIC WAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 12

NEW BASIC WAGE.

TASK FOR THE COURT. ALL AWARDS AFFECTED. THREE MONTHS FROM JUNE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. Within three months from June 8 the Arbitration Court, under the terms of the amending legislation of the recent session, is required to lix a basic wage in respect to all male and female adult workers employed in any industry in which an award or industrial agreement operates. The Court will almost immediately proceed with this duty, so that its decision will be known long before three months elapse. This is the first occasion in the history of New Zealand's industrial legislation when the Court has been directed by Statute to fix basic wages, though the Australian Courts have been doing so for many years. New .Zealand lias, however, followed the principle to some , extent, and a survey of many past decisions of the Arbitration Court will provide some indication of how the new legislation is likely to be administered.

Man, Wife and Two Children. It was assumed by the Court in the days prior to the recent Act that the lowest wage—that paid to an unskilled' worker —should not be less than that which would maintain a man, his wife, and two children. This principle was criticised considerably because it did not square with social facts, as approximately one-third of the workers under awards are unmarried, .while there is exact statistical evidence that the size of the average New Zealand family is something lees than one child. Marriage, and 1 large families should be. encouraged by the new legislation, for it states: — "The'basic rate of wages for adult male workers shall be such a rate as would!, in the opinion of the Court, be sufficient to enable a man in receipt thereof to maintain a wife and three children in a fair and reasonable standard of comfort."

It is interesting to note that while the statute directs the Court to fix the basic wage for female workers, 'the standard to be applied is left to the Court's discretion. ' What the Court did prior to the general order for reduction of wages in 1932 was to place females in an intermediate position between the male worker and the junior. As this worked out, if the in ale worker was awarded an increase of 5/, the Court gave female workers 3/, and juniors 1/6. More For Skilled Worker; 1 . Another important phase of tlie basic rate question is that the former minimum was that to be paid to ail unskilled worker. This gave a startingpoint for assessing the wage of the skilled and semi-skilled employees, and the general practice of the Court was to award to the skilled 1 worker about 5d per hour more than the unskilled rate, though there were variations according to the trades concerned. The semiskilled man got an intermediate rate. The basic rate" when the Arbitration Court, having no 'Statutory direction, adopted the assessed the family at two children 'was £3 17/10 per week. Now an additional child must be taken into consideration, also the eondition of trade or industry, the financial and economic position of the Dominion, and the cost of living. Whatever the Court decides will operate, on a date it fixes, in respect to all awards and agreements.