Working Men’s Clubs

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32349, 15 July 1970, Page 16

Working Men’s Clubs

Sir,—Do 'barmen employed in working men’s clubs ' belong to the same union as those employed in hotels? If not, why not? If so, why were they not called out on strike last week-end by the union? During the last week I have visited two clubs in Christchurch- The charge for a jug of beer in one is 32c and in the other 35c. In Auckland recently action was taken by unions because an additional 3c a jug was charged in hotel lounges. Will the unions here taken action about the above different charges? The club that charges 32c had a trading I profit last year of over .$60,000. Surely this is exori bitant for one club which already has considerable reserves,—Yours, etc., CURIOUS. July 9, 1970. [The secretary of the Canterbury Hotel Employees’ Union (Mr L. N, Short) replies: “Barmen in working men’s clubs do belong to the same union as those employed in hotels. They were not called out on strike for two reasons. First, they operate in a separate industry and are covered by the Chartered Clubs Workers’ Award, which is due for renewal within the next two months. Second, noone called the hotel section Out on strike. These workers were told the facts, and replies of their employers to a request for an interim wage order under the Licensed Hotel Award, and the rank

and file decided on the action that they are at present taking. Charges on jugs of beer do vary in clubs, as they vary in hotels. This is a matter for the club itself to decide. The main reason why clubs charge less than hotels is that clubs are so-called non-profit-making organisations and hence are not required to pay tax, and this in the eyes of many gives the working men’s clubs an unfair trading advantage against licensed hotels. Working men’s clubs whose award wage rates are lower than in hotels all pay licensed hotel rates, and many of them in excess of these rates. There are many clubs which are paying in excess of $5O a week to a barman for a 40-hour week, plus other fringe benefits, such as three weeks holiday and sick pay when off genuinely sick.”]