A NEW AWARD SOUGHT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22459, 21 July 1938, Page 11

A NEW AWARD SOUGHT

♦- — THEATRICAL EMPLOYEES* UNION (PRESS ISSOCUTIO* TOXWHUJfcJ WELLINGTON, July 20. A Conciliation Council is hearing * dispute between the Taranaki, Wellington, and Marlborough Theatrical and Places of Amusement Employees* Union and the New Zealand Theatrical Proprietors' and Managers' Association of Employers. The old award applied only to the Wellington district, but the new one is to cover the wider area. Mr H. J. Bishop appeared in the interests of a number of racing and trotting clubs, boxing and wrestling associations cited as parties, and the commissioner reserved the question ol the participation of these parties for tne Court. . ..«_.-# Mr Walsh, for the union, said that u the employers could see their way to increase their wages offer, it should be possible to arrive at a complete agreement in regard to other matters. After a conference the employers raised their offer from £4 to £4 10s for adult male attendants in picture shows, and from £2 to £2 5s for female attendants, and this offer was considered by the employees representatives during the luncheon adjournment. . _. At the outset of the hearing Mr Walsh made a strong protest against what he claimed to be the action of the employers,' or some of them, in distributing a circular seeking information regarding wages, duties, ana other matters concerning workers in the industry. Mr Mount joy, aavocate for the employers, said he knew nothing about the circular. That was the first he had heard of it. . . Mr Walsh: We think this sort of thing should stay in Germany. Mr Mountjoy: It might interest you to know that I have none of this information. Mr Walsh said he did not know exactly where the circular came from; but it undoubtedly came from the employersT Mr Mountjoy said that Mr Sayegh. of Amalgamated Theatres, assured Him. if the reference made was intended to apply to Amalgamated. Theatres, that it was quite unfounded. and incorrect. Amalgamated Theatres j knew nothing whatever about the circular, and disowned any connexion with it. The discussion was allowed to drop. No agreement was reached. Offer Refused An offer was made by the employers to increase the wa'ges of males to £4 10s a week and of females to £2 es a week on condition that a 36-hour week all round was accepted, and a substantial measure of agreement was reached on other points. The workers indicated that they were prepared to accept the offer on condition that the hours in the present award, 32 r for ticket-sellers and 36 for other front house workers, were retained. Tins was declined by the employers and the dispute was adjourned till August 9. Mr Walsh, agent for the workers, expressed disappointment at the wages offer for females. He contended that the wages for females in all indusmes had been set at a low standard. This fact had been recognised by Mr Justice Hunter and the awards of the Second Court of Arbitration had provided for quite substantial increases in females' rates of pay, although e¥en then they could not be considered entirely adequate to enable them to meet the cost of living. "I would like to see an agreement reached in conciliation.** said Mr Walsh. It was the proper place for industrial disputes to be settled, as the assessors on both sides were fully acquainted with the details of the industry. Referring disputes to the Court of Arbitration had not achieved the best results. Numerous recent awards were not satisfactory to either parties. It appeared that various aspects of industrial disputes were too complicated even for the courts to give a satisfactory decision. Case for Employers The employers' agent Mr Mountjoy. said that the increased wages for females in the clerical workers* award amounted to 19 per cent. The increase offered by the employers in the present dispute, from 36s to 465, was approximately 27 per cent It was admitted that wages in some other occupations were higher, but the hours were longer than those in theatres. Higher qualifications were demanded and the work was not so congenial. If the •workers accepted the offer, the wages for females would be the highest ever paid in the industry. He made it clear that the offers were conditional on reasonable claims being made by the . workers for performance workers—workers not entirely dependent on theatre jobs for a livelihood. Mr Walsh submitted that the industry was sheltered, being a luxury industry. It was also wealthy and could well afford to pay. He contended _ that £2 6s was not sufficient for a girl to keep herself without the help of her parents. He also emphasised that recently the director of a picture company had stated that the industry had just completed one of its best years, and that it had no fears for the future. The hearing was adjourned and the parties are to consider the further offers made.