COURT'S ADVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1938, Page 7

COURT'S ADVICE.

PRINTING TRADE. | i i "SEEK DOMINION AWARD."' i ■ ! CHAOTIC POSITION EXISTS. ! — i "The industry as a whole should direct j its attention to obtaining a Dominion! i award which will remedy the present I chaotic position in regard to hours and I ' wages, and for this reason the Court has j short-dated thics award,"' states a• ' majority opinion of the Second Court of 1 Arbitration in a memorandum attached ' . to the Auckland (ten miles radius) | female printing trades employees' award, issued to-day. | ' Providing for a 40-hour week and I minimum wages ranging from £1 3/0 to £2 19/, the award will continue in ; force only until December 31 next. In the matter of wages, it is retrospective to May 1. An unusual position arose over the question of hours. The memorandum states that the Court is. impressed with the fact that in connection with the recent award dealing with the printing industry throughout the Dominion (except in the Auckland and Wellington city areas), and made in accordance with a complete recommendation, the hours of work for female workers were agreed on by the parties at 42 hours, and the I hours for male workers at 40. j "In this case, however, there has been I no agreement of the parties, and the question has been left to the Court to decide." adds the memorandum. "The Court has been frankly informed by the employers that but for the fact that the overtime to be worked by females U limited by statute there would be no difficulty in fixing the hours for female < workers at 40, as in the case of the men." A majority of the Court is of the opinion, however, that under these circumstances to approve of the hours for female workers being fixed at more than 40 where the parties have not agreed to do so would savour of fathering a device i to defeat the object of the Legislature. In a dissenting opinion the employers" representative. Mr. Y. Duff, states that at the hearing of the dispute the employers asked the Court to incorporate the hours provisions contained in the so-called Dominion award. Uncontradicted evidence was given that tile work of female operators was complementary to that of male workers, and that owing to the restriction on overtime the ex- . tended hours asked for were necessary ' to enable the industry to be carried on efficiently. "The anomalous and undesirable position is now created of a national industry being subject to varying conditions ill different districts." Mr. Duff states. i In respect to wages the Court has followed the rates prescribed in the Wellington award issued at the same time. For all females employed in the bookbinding, paper-ruling, stationery and j printers' feeders branches the rate* are to be: First six months. £1 3/0: second. £1 7/0: third. £1 11/0: fourth. £1 15/6: 1 third vear. £2: fourth vear. £2 ."i/; fifth year, £2 12/; thereafter, £2 10/.