WAGE INCREASES GRANTED

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 3

WAGE INCREASES GRANTED

SHIPPING COMPANIES’ CLERICAL WORKERS

Wage increases of up to £2O a year for males and up to £l4 a year for females are contained in a new award for New’ Zealand shipping companies’ clerical employees issued by the Court of Arbitration. The wage rates are retrospective to October 1, 1952. Male clerical workers serving their first six months will not benefit from the new increases, but those serving their second and third six months will receive increases of £2 and £4 respectively. Fourth-year to sixteenth-year employees will receive increases ranging from £2 to £2O. Female employees during the first six months will receive £2 more during this period. Fourth-year to ninthyear employees will receive annual increases ranging from £1 to £l4. A new clause provides that after the ninth year female employees will be paid on merit, but that females with over 15 years’ service with one employer will be paid not less than £475 a year.

Overtime rates for both male and female employees have been slightly increased. Pursers of intercolonial and overseas passenger vessels and Wellington-Lyttelton passenger vessels, also deputy-pursers of the Canadian Australasian Line vessels, will be paid £9 10s a month (an increase of £1 3s 3d) as compensation for hours which may be worked in excess of eight a day or 40 a week. All other pursers and deputy-pursers and assistant pursers will be paid £7 10s a month (£1 5s increase). Auckland toll clerks have received a £l5 annual increase to £540. Overtime hours will be paid for at the rate of 7s lOd an hour (5d an hour increase), except on Saturday afternoon, Sundays, or holidays, when the overtime rate will be 10s 5d an hour (6d an hour increase).

Adult male employees doing the work of messengers and inquiry clerks will be paid the minimum rate of £430 a year (£l4 increase) for each year of service, rising in annual increments of £l5 to £490 a year (£l3 increase).

Chief cargo tally clerks will receive £lO 7s 6d a week, an increase of 5s 2d a week.