A SHORTAGE OF WORKERS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21465, 6 May 1935, Page 9

A SHORTAGE OF WORKERS

POSITION IN PANEL BEATING TRADE

SCHEME FOR TRAINING MEN

That there was a definite shortage of competent panel-bcaters in New Zealand was asserted by Mr John E. Hunt, of Wellington, at the twenty-second annual meeting of the New Zealand Coach and Motor Body Builders' Industrial Association of Employers on Saturday afternoon. Mr Hunt said the panel beating industry was starved for workers while men of intelligence and ability were denied the opportunity of learning the trade. He put forward suggestions for the training of panel-beaters. Mr Hunt was speaking to a remit he had introduced that the association, during the coming year, should take steps to ensure a reasonable supply of panel-beater tradesmen. The remit Was carried. Mr Hunt said there had been a shortage of panel-beaters for many years. The reason was that motor-vehicles had created so great a demand for panel-beaters that there were not sufficient facilities for training men. There were no panel-beaters in many towns, and work often had to be sent hundreds of miles.

Mr Hunt suggested that means might be found to train journeyman sheet metal workers at a reasonable wage, untij they were competent to earn full wages as panel-beaters. In proposing that the Unemployment Board might be approached, Mr Hunt suggested the following:— I The trade to provide facilities for the training .of journeymen sheet metal I workers, prefpraply young, single men. As a basis, the wages to be 2s an hour, Is payable by the borrd and Is by the employer. In the event of it being found that thr? rate is too high, arrangements to be made for reducing jit. In all cases, however, care must | be taken to see that the scheme is not [exploited with a consequent lowering of wages. Alternatively, a scale of wages could be adopted, progress to be rewarded by consequent increases. It must be clear that every inducement must be offered

for men to become proficient. pe« tails such as the basis for arriving at a man's worth and progress could bft settled by a conference betweeft th«t Unemployment Board, employers, and employees. Answering a question, Mr Hunt there were many sheet metal wbirliefS out of work. It was agreed to send out circulars to the employers to see if they were willing to co-operate in Mr Hunt's scheme. The information obtained, it was stated, would give sojhethfog definite' to put before the Unemployment Board.