SHEARERS’ WAGES FOR 1954-55

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27377, 16 June 1954, Page 10

SHEARERS’ WAGES FOR 1954-55

AGREEMENT ON INCREASES Increased wages for sheep-shearing during the 1954-55 season were agreed to in Conciliation Council proceedings between sheepowners and workers in Wellington last week. As from July 1, hand shearers’ rates will be increased by 20 pgr cent.; cooks and jeooks’ assistants will be paid on a day-by-day basis only, instead of either a weekly or daily basis, as formerly; and an allowance of Is for each 100 head of sheep shorn will be made to shearers who use their own handpieces. Wages will be based on the usual sliding scale. Although there is no alteration in the base wage.jjate, an tocrease in the price of wool has meant a proportional increase in shearers’ pay. Rates of pay are adjusted proportionally with the movements of an index number, prepared by the Government Statistician, and based on the average prices realised at New Zealand sales for greasy wooL Rates for the coming season will

be as follows, with last year’s figures for comparison in parenthesis:— Shearers.—By machine. £3 12s 6d a 100 head (£3 8s); by hand, £4 7s (£3 10s 6d).

Pre-natal Shearing.—By machine. £3 19s 9d (£3 14s); by hand, £4 15s 8d (£3 17s 6d).

Shed Hands.—Pressers. 5s 11 id an hour (5s 7d); shed hands, 5s 9|d (5s sd).

Cooks.—Cooks. £2 0s 3d a day with the usual additions for larger sheds (£1 18s): cooks’ assistants, £1 10s 2d (£1 8s 8d).