MANY BENEFITS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21808, 13 June 1936, Page 16

MANY BENEFITS

NEW HOTEL WORKERS’ AGREEMENT MORE PAY WITH SHORTER HOURS The restoration of the 1929 to 1931 wage level, with a reduction of working hours from 48 to 44 a week, and the extension of annual holidays with pay, is provided in a new agreement affecting workers in licensed hotels throughout the Dominion. The agreement, which comes into force on Monday, has been made between the New Zealand Federated Hotel and Restaurant Employees and the United Licensed Victuallers’ Association of New Zealand. The current award affecting hotel workers does not expire until March 31, 1937, and the new agreement covers the period up to that date. To validate it, and. to cancel the existing award, special legislation is being prepared. Over the whole range of employees, excepting barmaids, the wages are increased by approximately 7* per cent, on the scale under the present award. The wage for country cooks where only one hand is employed, is increased from £2 to £2 9s 6d, so that they are now on the same level with cooks in a similar position in the city. The Working Week The 44-hour week applies to all workers from Monday. That number of hours has to be worked within six days of the week after that date, but within five and a half days of the week after July 1. The right is retained for the workers to go to the Arbitration Court and apply for a 40hour week. In the past the only hotel workers who enjoyed a compulsory day and a half off in each week were the barmen, the others having only one day. The new agreement provides that all shall have the day and a half. Nine days’ annual holiday instead of seven are provided under the new agreement. The cash payment received as holiday pay for this period is increased by £1 10s for waitresses, housemaids, etc., by £1 11s 8d for porters and kitchen hands, and by £ 1 18s 2d for barmen. The allowance for board is increased from 16s to £l, and for lodgings from 8s to 10s.