PRINTING TRADES DISPUTE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22201, 18 September 1937, Page 5

PRINTING TRADES DISPUTE

[ ♦ ANOTHER DEADLOCK ON WAGES COMMISSIONER SUGGESTS INCREASE (press association telegram.) WELLINGTON. September 17. Another deadlock occurred in ConI cilintion Council when the New Zea- | land Printing and Related Trades dis- j | pute was resumed before Mr M. J. ' i Reardon. The workers submitted a new scale of rates of pay based on the recent pronouncement of the Court of Arbitration, but these were unacceptable to the employers, who contended that a reduction of the hours of work to 40 did not warrant an increase in wages. They also contended that the Court’s pronouncement was for casual employment, and allowance should be made for work of a more permanent nature, j After an adjournment had been | taken Mr E. W. Clarkson (employers' ■ agent) said the employers would offer an increase of 2s 6d for journeymen on the weekly wages, with a proportionate increase for other male workers. Fur females they considered the employers’ counter-proposals were more than adequate. After the workers had considered the matter Mr C. H. Chapman. M.P. (workers’ assessor) said the offer was quite unacceptable. The amount was totally insufficient, and the workers felt they would rather go to the Court. Mr Clarkson said the employers would have no objection to the matter going before the Court as soon as possible. Before the luncheon adjournment the Commissioner said the policy of the Government was that wages should be substantial, and in his view the results based on that policy had been eminently satisfactory to the country. He could see there was merit in the employers’ argument, but he thought that as far as the cities at least were concerned, the employers had seriously to consider some concession in the matter of wages. He did not think it would be sufficient for the employers to set a reduction in hours against some concession in wages. He hoped the employers could see their way to make some concession in wages even if they felt that the logic of the position was against them. Men could not be expected to be satisfied with the present rate when .everybody round them was getting concessions. There was a general all-round increase. They could not expect to see a contented body of workers if the workers saw carpenters, waterside workers, and labourers getting increases. It was not reasonable to expect it.

When the hearing was adjourned till to-morrow morning, the workers' assessors were still considering a further offer of the employers as follows: An increase of 2s 6d for adult male workers employed five days a week; an increase of 5s for adult male workers employed six days a week; an increase of 2s 6d to- those in Class II in the award employed six days a week; an allowance for night workers of 10 per cent, for all workers including pieceworkers. all piecework to be as in the counter-proposals made by the employers. This offer was made conditional on the workers agreeing to classification as in the old award and the difference in payment for Class I and Class II workers, the whole to operate as from the first working week commencing September 27. "We have come very close to an agreement on the major issues.” said the Commissioner, "and I do not think we should fail to make a settlement.’’