TANNING INDUSTRY

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 185, 6 August 1936, Page 5

TANNING INDUSTRY

JUDGMENTS OF THE COURT. Under further judgments delivered by the Arbitration Court, a 44-hour week is to be permitted to both the tanning industry and the by-products manufacturing industry.

In both cases the workers were represented by Mr. H. G. Kilpatrick, and Mr. W. E. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Employers' Association, appeared for the employers.

In referring to the tanning industry, the president of the Court, Mr. Justice Page, said tliat between 50(1 and 000 employees were affected. He drew attention to the fact that during the past 10 or 12 years the quality of New Zealand leather had steadily improved, so that to-day it was used almost exclusively by New Zealand boot manufacturers, who now produced the greater part of the footwear sold in Xew Zealand. The method of tanning was lengthy and highly technical, and once the hide was put into work the processes were continuous p.nd extended over a long period. Recently, owing to the introduction of modern methods and machinery, and to l.lie alteration of the British tariff in favour of the Dominion, the Xew Zealand tanners had been able to export to the London market. If the progress of this industry were retarded and prevented from keeping abreast of development it; the manufacture of leather in overseas countries, or if there were any falling off in the quality of the New Zealand output, serious effects on the industry would result. The working week at present consisted of 48 hours, and, even with that limit, some overtime was worked. Even with a 44-hour week considerable overtime would have to be worked, and it was clear that work would have to be done on Saturdays. The Court came to the conclusion that it had been shown to be impracticable to carry on this industry effectively on a 40-liour week. An order for a 44-hour, week was made accordingly, the order to take effect from September 1, vlien rates of pay will be adjusted so that the ordinary weekly wage shall not be reduced.

Animal By-products. The Court came to the conclusion also that a 40-liour week was impracticable in the by-products manufacturing industry on account of the highly perishable nature of the material used, and fixed the working week at 44 hours. His Honor said that the industry involved was the manufacture of by-pro-ducts from the remains of sheep, cattle and other animals. The materials used were collected daily from butchers' shops and abattoirs, and it was cleai' that work must proceed on Saturdays. Butcher shops had to be visited both on Friday nights and Saturday mornings to collect the materials, and some employers were under contract to remove materials daily from abattoirs, including Sundays. The process of rendering down must be put in hand at once, and the demands of public health required that there should be no delay in dealing with this quickly perishable material. The hours at present worked were 48 a week, and, even with those hours, overtime was on occasions necessary. An order fixing the hours at 44 a week was made, and a further order, with the consent of the men concerned, will extend the interval between meals to five hours where this is necessary to complete the day's work. Case of Cement 7/orkers. In the case of the cement industry an order has been made for the extension of the period between meals, as the parties have come to an agreement, and merely asked for an extension of the limit of 4| hours. The order will come into force on September 1.