NEW CLERICAL AWARD

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22137, 6 July 1937, Page 8

NEW CLERICAL AWARD

COUNCIL STAFF SALARIES

*'INJUSTICES AND ANOMALIES"

EMPLOYEES SAID TO BE

DISSATISFIED

The complaint that the application of a new award to the clerical workers of the Christchurch City Council would lead' to f™> us anomalies, was made by Cr. W. Hayward at the meeting of the council last evening. His protest led to an interesting discussion, with Labour members strenuously supporting the award, and the general principle of an improvement in the wages oi those workers. One councillor (Ur. F D. Sargent) claimed, on the other hand, that the operation of the award might compel the council to dispense with the services of some of its younger clerical workers, to whom the award gave wages which, he said, were in excess of the services they gave. The new award has been made retrospective to July 1. It is modelled substantially on the general clerical workers' award, with wages ranging from 15s a week for the first half-year, at age under 16, to 105s in the ninth year, and all other wages graduated from increasing amounts at starting, according to age up to the same £5 5s a week level. Foi women workers, the commencing salaries range from 15s to Jos according to starting age *rid up to 55s for the final wage. This award, Cr Hayward contended, had already caused inequalities, injustices, and anomalies. ... „ "Be careful, you will get him uie sack." interjected Cr. E. H. Andrews, when Cr. Kayward praised the work of Cr. J. S. Barnett, in negotiating the award fcr the workers. Had it not been for Cr. Barnett the cost to the council might have been much heavier, Cr. Hayward said. "This new agreement will tne council in the coming year £1737,' Cr. Hayward said. "I do not know that I can find serious fault with that; but I iind fault with the legislation which torces such a position on us, without recognising the various and differing positions filled by our employees. There is one situation, for instance, where a junior clerk becomes a senior clerk, in wages at least. But the value of such a position should not be judged by anything except the work and responsibility involved. Labour, like every other commodity in the world, has its value—when that value is exceeded, the machine steps in to take its place."

Not a Happy Man?

Cr Hayward quoted alleged anomalies which' he alleged, the new award had brought about. There was a young engineer, who was doing particularly good work, and was reported on layourably. It had been thought wise to give him an increase of £SO a year. In ordinary circumstances, he could be expected to be very pleased; but when he turned round he found, under the new award, a man without any of his qualifications getting an increase of £IOO a year. A woman clerk with 15 years' employment was already receiving more than the award rates provided and could not get any rise, although she had been expecting it. But the office boy working under her, who joined six to seven years ago, now received 25s a week more than she "I regret to say that this award is bringing a whole lot of dissatisfaction to the staff; and we cannot blame the staff, in such a case as that of the young engineer, if there is a grudge. There is the case, too, of a young man who has been one year and eight months on the staff. His salary, previously £65. has been raised to £197, within the next year. That increase occurs because of age. There are other rises: from £65 to £117; £ll7 to £221; £BO to £156; £7O to £138; £75 to £177; £194 to £273; £52 to £lO4. The other members of the staff have every reason to be dissatisfied and hurt, that their efforts have not been appreciated and that these others are to receive these huge increases."

General Application

Defending the new award, Cr. R. M. Macfariane said that the decisions were in agreement with the general award made by the Arbitration Court for! clerical workers. The award protected a large body of workers who had been previously without protection. "Of course we are quite used to Cr. Hayward's complaints about Government legislation," he said. "It was because of the injustices imposed by the class Cr. Hayward has always supported that we have the present Government in power." Cr. G. Manning mentioned that the award of the Court was also the award governing every private firm. When Cr. Manning deprecated the necessity for an entrant to the council's clerical staff to have matriculated, the Mayor (Mr J. W. Beanland) said that this decision of the council had not been strictly insisted on. The chairman of the Finance Committee (Cr. E. H. Andrews) claimed that there were bound to be anomalies, because of the small compass of the positions offering. The anomalies which had arisen had been of the council's own making and rose from its generosity in breaking the rule and admitting boys under matriculation standard, to assist boy employment schemes. But they were good boys and would qualify for higher positions. "I would regret very much that any of the people higher up in the service should resent having these juniors drawn closer to them in th°ir wages," said Cr. Barnett. "Speaking generally, it would be a very crude attitude to take up." Cr. Sarsent. also deploring the mal triculation stipulation, was told by Mr Beanland that only one or two boys I had been admitted without matriculation, and that the resolution making the stipulation was still on the books. "Then the sooner we rescind it the better," said Cr. Sargent. "However, if we have to pay £2OO to an office boy. aged from 19 to 20, then we will have to see that certain members of the staff are discharged so that we can get others to do their work and b" pa ! H on the basis of the services given."

The clause recommending the adoption of the award was carried, wit* one amendment —the t°rm of th° nwri 1 was altered from th~oe to two vcarp Or. Andrew* saM that this had the a< Tr * ,o ment of Cr. Barnett.