Skill Margins Case Ends

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30976, 4 February 1966, Page 3

Skill Margins Case Ends

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, February 3. The Arbitration Court today reserved its decision on the New Zealand Printers’ Union’s claim for higher pay margins for skilled workers. Acting for the union, the Federation of Labour is claiming 36 per cent skill margins for skilled workers in the printing industry. A wage rate of £l5 10s a week for general hands is sought and £2l a week for core skilled workers. Higher rates of pay are claimed for workers classified in higher categories of skill.

The core of basic tradesmen’s rate is at present £l5

6s 5d a week plus 5 per cent, amounting to £l6 4s lOd. The union’s claim of £2l a week represents an increase of £4 15s 2d per week. The president of the F.O;L„ Mr T. E. Skinner, appeared for the Printers’ Union, and the executive-director of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, Mr P. J. Luxford, appeared for the employers.

Mr Luxford said a minimum of eight weeks was necessary for the employers to submit to the court a reclassification of skills in the industry. Judge Blair said he thought it would have been a comparatively easy job. Mr Luxford said there were numerous factors involved: some parts of the industry used different machines, and consultation with others than those of the technical subcommittee would be necessary.

Mr Skinner said the matter of classification of skills was not before the court, and the employers were using it as a red herring to throw

across the track of the real issue—that of margins. Judge Blair said there was some evidence that classifications were obsolete and the Court must get further information from the union and the employers. Mr Skinner suggested that if the skill margins were brought in this would provide

an incentive for the employers to do something about the classifications.

Mr Skinner also suggested that the apprentices order should be looked at and that the apprentice committee should bring it up to date. Skills an apprentice had to learn were set down in the apprentice order and that was where the Court could get its basis for skills, he said. On the employers’ counterproposal to permit the employment of part-time workers, Mr Skinner said the employers should have suggested the part-time employment of people who had served time in the industry. Their counter - proposal opened the door for anyone and would reduce the payment of overtime, he said. UNION MEMBERSHIP

On the employers’ counterproposal that foremen should be exempted from union membership, Mr Skinner said there was no evidence before the Court that foremen were embarrassed by being members of the Printers’ Union. He suggested that if foremen were embarrassed by being members then they should have been called as witnesses.

It would be a greater embarrassment to them if they were exempted from the union, Mr Skinner said. Mr Skinner asked the Court to add an extra week to the two weeks’ annual holiday and bring the printing industry in line with the rest of industry both in New Zealand and Australia.

Mr Skinner suggested that the Court give no advance information of its visits to any printing works. He said the union would co-operate at a moment’s notice.

He said printing industry workers had been waiting since March-of last year for some decision on their increases of wages and asked for an early decision of the Court.