Hairdressers aim to improve industry

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34099, 11 March 1976, Page 6

Hairdressers aim to improve industry

Hairdressers want to make their industry more unified and professional, says the newly elected president of the NewZealand Council of Ladies Hairdressers’ Association, Mr P. J. Smith, of Christchurch.

Measures to protect both the customer and the industry were initiated at the I council’s annual conference held in Nelson last weekend.

The 32 delegates agreed on a formula for seeking Government registration of women’s hairdressing salons. This aims to restrict the present uncontrolled ownership of salons and to ensure a higher standard of qualifications among salon owners, says Mr Smith. An Industrial Union of Ladies’ Hairdressers Associations was formed at the meeting. When it is registered it will deal with industrial matters now handled by the Employers’ Federation. Moves to introduce an advanced trade certificate, administered by technical institutes which now run the hairdressing apprenticeship schemes, were also approved. “At present there is nothing to stop anyone with money buying a hairdressing

salon and putting in staff of their choice to run it.” said Mr Smith. “The public has no protection.” The proposed advanced trade certificate, and an additional two years in the industry’, have been suggested as criteria for future registration. Business and staff management, stock control, pricing, and in-service training would be covered in the certificate. “It is only since 1967 that we have had the set standards of an apprenticeship in women’s hairdressing,” said Mr Smith. “Young people now need something more to work towards. And if they want to go into business they need additional skills.” Lack of liaison with technical institutes concerned a number of delegates. They decided to seek improvement of the apprenticeship syllabus and uniform qualifications for tutors. “In Christchurch we have excellent relations with the institute,” says Mr Smith. “We are asked to be part of their selection panel for new tutors, and this is very valuable. But apparently this does not happen throughout New Zealand.” EQUAL PAY The intrdouction of equal i pay in an industry almost 98 per cent of whose employees i are women has raised hairdressing costs steadily during the past few years. A shampoo and set now usually costs between $3 to 'iss, and sometimes more.

Blow waving has meant that fewer women have their hair set regularly in a salon, and the emphasis is now on cutting. “Most of the work done in salons used to be setting,” says Mr Smith. “Now at least 40 per cent is cutting. The new contoured cuts need a lot of skill and take time.” Many salons have found their clients less numerous lately. Women used to “fight for a Friday appointment,” according to Mr Smith. But now less-than-full appointment books are not uncommon, he says. Doubling of the sales tax on cosmetics from 20 per cent to 40 per cent has also increased costs, The meeting decided to make further approaches to the Government to have the tax on shampoo and hair conditioner reduced. “Hairdressing is not just a luxury,” says Mr Smith. “It’s therapeutic too. The Labour Government would not change the tax, but we decided it was worth approaching the new Government. “Our industry is suffering. It seems to be' the meat in the sandwich, between the Government and the union.” Guidelines for this year’s hairdressing competitions were given at the meeting. Regional finals will begin soon, and the national championships will be held in Dunedin in October. The council has been offered a sponsorship to send a team to the next world championships in 1978. The championships are ' run by the World Federation of Hairdressers, which the council is considering applying to join. Officers elected were: president, Mr B. J. Smith (Canterbury); vice-presi-dents; D. Sherry, D. Monopoli (Auckland and Nelson); secretary-treasurer, Mrs P. A. Smith (Canterbury). Mr and Mrs Smith have served in their respective I offices on the Canterbury) association for the last four! years.