"BIDDING UP" WAGES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16985, 6 November 1920, Page 11

"BIDDING UP" WAGES.

£ : BUILDERS COMBINE TO CHECK PRACTICE. (I'ItESS ASSOCIATION .TKLEGItAJI.) AUCKLAND, November The practice of "bidding up" the wages of carpcntors and by private bargaining with contractors has been exercising the builders of Auckland for some time past, and has resulted in members of the Auckland Builders' Association having agreed 011 a scalo of maximum -wages for carpenters, bricklayers, and plasterers. a . meeting oh the Association some time ago members reported that they were being pestered by continual applications for increased wages by men who stated that some other builder was paying more. In the course of the discussion oil the subject of the wages paid, the opinion was expressed that some workers were systematically "bidding up - ' one employer against the other. The Association decided to send out voting papers to all the members on the subject of agreeing on a maximum wage, these papers being returnable for a special meeting to be held 011 November 4th. When the special meeting• was held ia>t night, there was a record ni tendance of members, and the count of tho voting papers resulted in a unanimous vote in favour of a maximum wage. The meeting discusscd the question, and unanimously decided to fix n maximum wage of 2s Od per hour lor carpenters and johiers. and .'3s per hour for bricklayers and plasterers. Ail members present agreed not to pay more than the>e rates, and to living the new rule into force on Novenib<*r 12th. Ji wa? mn<lo clear during the discussion thai this..maximum refers the best men. exclusive of foremen. The present award rates, including the latest !»s cost or living bonus, are 2s ojd for oar]" - 'rs and joiners, 2s <d lor bricklay. .. and plasterers, and 2s fi'd for Jab ■ .rers. At the moment some men are Iving ivid 3s per hour, and others are a'-king .".s 3d. According to report-?, similar action i> eonteniplated among the builders in "Wellington ami oilier districts. Demand quality iirst in that Summer Suit.- Tin: garments turned out in our workrooms show clean cut lines, fruitless tailoring and finish, which gives them individuality—the hall-mark of successful tailoring. Now materials, for the summer season await your choosing. C'osteilo and Berryman. corner IVlanehestcr and Gloucester streets. rj^o^siuO