DRAPERY TRADE.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15773, 14 December 1916, Page 4

DRAPERY TRADE.

>"EW AWARD CLAIMS. The Wellington Soft Goods Employees' Union has filed claims for a new award in tho drapery trade. The demands ineludc a new ' scheme of classification of employees aa follows: —Branch managers and manageresses, departmental managers and manageresses, window-drcssere, canvassers, eeuiora, juniors, apprentices, storeinen and packers, clerks and cashiem. Wages sought are aa follows (present award rates being given in pei'ciniheses):—Branch manager or manageresses, X's 15a per week; departmental manager or manageress, £3 10«; ■windowdresser, £5; canvaaeer, £■!: seniors (males) £4, (females) £2 10s. Assistants, 16 years of age and under, entering the trade without Previous experience:—Ist year, males 150, females 15s (1C« and 7s 6d); 2nd year, £1 2s Gd and £i (15s and 10s); 3rd year* £1 lie 6d and £1 5s (£1 and 12* 6d); 4th year, £2 and £1 10s (£1 7s 6d and 17s 6d); sth year, £2 10s and £1 15s (£1 12a Gd and £1 2a 6d); (Ith year, £3 5a and £3 2a 6d (£2 and £1 ss); thereafter, £-1 and £2 10a (£3 and £1 10s); head. or only storeman. £3 10b; store me a and packers, £3 (£-2 10s); IS years of ago aud under, 15s, rising to £3 for etoremen and packera over 21 years (10s to £2 10**); casual hands, males 2s per hour, females Is- 6d (Is 4id and lOd), with a minimum payment for day or part thereof, of ICs for males and 12s for females. Weekly payment of wages is eought. with a provision that fcmale3 selling or handling the following goods shall be entitled to tho wages prescribed for males: —Men's and juvenile clothing. mercery, hat®, hosiery, silks, velveteen, dress goods, Manchester, furnishing drapery, carpets, liroleum, bedding, cotton dress goods, prints, etc. An hours clause is inserted in the demands, fixing the hours on five days in the week at 7J for seniors, § for juniors, and 8$ for apprentices, fttoremen, and packers, with pay-ment-for overtime at the rate or time and a-hah". It is provided that uo assistant shall be employed after 12 noon on Saturday. In addition to tho usual holidays, an annual holiday of two weeks on full pay ia claimed. Engagement through the union oSSce and preference to -unionists arc other demands. Tea money for work done after 5.30 p.m.. cicept on one lata night, is sought, end a minimum w*ge of £3 15a for lift attendants is the subject of another claim. The dispute will be heard by the Conciliation Council on January 9th.