RETAIL BUTCHERS’ STAFFS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27040, 15 May 1953, Page 7

RETAIL BUTCHERS’ STAFFS

Employers Seek To Engage Women

DECISION RESERVED BY ARBITRATION COURT (Neu> Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, May 14. Although women are emplayed in Dunedin city and suburban butchers’ shops at cash desks and on clerical duties, they are not employed on any other duties in the shops. The Arbitration Court was asked today that provision should be made in the new butchers’ award for the employment of female shop assistants. The request was made by the Otago Master Butchers’ Association in submissions made by its advocate (Mr H. C. Osborn) as part of the counterproposals in the dispute with the employees, for whom Mr F. Velvin appeared. The workers asked for a general increase in wages and alterations in conditions. Judge Stilwell presided, and the other members of the Court were Mr F. C. Allerby (employees’ member), and Mr N. Hewitt (employers’ member). The Court reserved its decision on all points. “The employers ask for the inclusion of a rate of wages for female shop assistants,” Mr Osborn said. “Employers have been unduly penalised.in the past by not having this source of labour available. No other retail industry is debarred the employment of female labour.” Mr Osborn said many workers in the industry “have shown a particular aversion to the work of serving at the counter." He contended that women were more adept than men in the presentation of goods for sale. “Most of the customers are women and children, and the engagement of women as shop assistants will be of tremendous value to the Industry,” he said. “The paucity of male labour has been appalling.’* Submitting the union’s claims, Mr Velvin said that since 1925, female labour, except clerks, had been prohibited in butchers’ shops. There was one exception, however, this being during World War II; but the regulation covering their employment had been revoked at the end of the war. “The employment of female labour will not improve the standard of work in the industry," Mr Velvin said.