1924 RATES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18927, 16 February 1927, Page 8

1924 RATES.

EMPLOYERS' REQUEST TO COURT. FREEZING WORKS DISPUTE. tTHB PEBSB Special B»rrie».] WELLINGTON, February 16. The hearing of tho freezing workers' dispute was continued by the Arbitratipn Court iMr Justice Frnzcr presid-to-day. Mr F. V. Sanderson said that the emnlovers were quite ready to carry out the award, but irritation tactics bv tho Union* made it necessary, m the interests of the community, to meet the nieu in conference. It was now necessary to follow one of two course: (1) To alter tho date of expiry of the present award, agreeing to any alteration in rates of pay being retrospect i\e to December Ist, 1926; <2) the partus; to agree to an amendment of the present award based upon the decision of the Court. The former course would appear to be the better. Die employers asked that a now award should not expire later than June, 1928. If the Unions desired further concessions they must show that previous decisions of tho Court were a mistake or unfair, nr that economic conditions had changed sufficiently to warrant an mcre.i.w in Wi'.ges.

Primary Producers' Interests. Reviewing previous awards, Mr Sanderson said the time had come for a decrease in wages. 'Hie interests of the third party (primary producers) must bo considered by the Court to a greater extent than in any other iudustrv. The employers had suffered a Vow 'in July last when 2s Gd per 100 increase was granted shearers, involving £30,000 on shearers' rates. The employees were now demanding 10 per cent, increase in wages. No increase was justified. Investigations showed that the basic rate was sufficient to produce a wage comparing favourably with that of £4 0s 8d for unskilled workers. The average wage should be taken, and workers should not earn enough in six months to tide them over the rest of the year. There was no restriction on other employment sought in the off season. What the Court was being asked to do was to provide 5J days' pay for three days' work. This would mean that the basic rate would be raised to something like 3s 4d per hour. The full week's work as suggested was impracticable.

Killing Output Restricted. Dealing with the position of the industry, Mr Sanderson said that increased charges in the freezing industry could not be passed on to the selling price of the produot, which must compete overseas with other products produced by cheap labour. There appeared to be a tacit understanding amongst the men which affected the killing output, and a clause in the award that the killing pace be regulated- by the employers was inoperative, because the men restricted the killing tally to 100 lambs or 90 sheep per day. There was a time when a slaughterman to earn all he could killed well over 100 sheen and lambs per day, and his piecework earnings then disposed of any claims for increase. Dressing under restricted tallies was not so good by fast men ns when the men's mind was fully on Tho work, and, again, slower workers striving to reach the 100 tally turned out rushed work.

Suggested Amendments. He stressed the need for relation between production and wages in place of the present killing pace clause. It was asked that, the following be inserted:—"For all classes of sheep, lambs, cattle, and pigs the employers shall have the right to increase or decrease the killing tally per hour in accordance with the foreman butcher's opinion of the capacity of each individual, and each slaughterman shall work at tho hook allotted to him by the foreman butcher." The killing pace of any individual should rest with the foreman butcher. To avoid faulty work it was sought to separate the fast worker from the slow worker. Exemptions from the award of foremen, permanent hands, shepherds, and all officials was sought. A new clause sought was: "In the event of sufficient competent labour of any class not being available the employer shall be at liberty to employ any men to get the work done, provided the wages shall not bo less than provided for hi Clause 15." Mr Sanderson asked that the Court restore the 1924 rates. Judgment was reserved.