Article criticised by union secretary

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34120, 5 April 1976, Page 16

Article criticised by union secretary

The editorial writer in “The Press” had a responsibility to the readers of the newspaper to analyse in great depth the fast-falling standard of living of the lower-paid worker, said the South Island secretary of the Brewery and Soft Drink Workers Union (Mr G. G. Walker).

Mr Walker, who was commenting on an editorial, printed on April 2. about the increased price of bread, said that the writer did not have a responsibility to write a simple apology for a Government action that in many people’s opinion was the “straw, or loaf of bread, if you will, that is going to galvanise opposition against vicious price rises of this nature in the near future.” “Your editorial stated that there would be an anguished outcry from consumers on the increased price of bread. “It goes on t say that the price of bread is still cheaper than in most other places with a comparable

standard of living,” said Mr Walker. “Please name the places. It certainly isn’t Australia, where the basic wage is $2O more than New Zealand,” he said. “A Christchurch boilermaker receives approximately $2.80 ar hour, a Canadian boilermaker is on more than $4.50 an hour, and no time and a half rate. A Canadian loaf is 70c. an American loaf 70c. A checkout girl in a New Zealand supermarket will be lucky if she gets $9O a week gross. A check-out girl in Vancouver receives $l5O a week gross,” he said. “If the Government is saving $27 million in subsidies for the taxpayers, let the Government give a $5 a week immediate tax reduction for all workers on Ic-; than $2 an hour. “Thousands of New Zealand workers are receiving less than $2 an hour, and being taxed on a rate of $BO a week. A man who is married is paying $12.35 tax. If we are going to have Yankee prices, let’s have Yankee wages. If we are going to have Australian prices, let’s Lave Australian wages,” said Mr Walker.

“If the Government reduces subsidies by s27m, give s27m back to the low-est-paid worker,” he said. [As Mr Walkers’ examples of wages show, pay rates in North America can be nearly twice as much as those in New Zealand for the same jobs; and the price of bread in North America is more than twice as much as that in New Zealand. This is the distinction to which our leading article drew attention, and the difference is both relative and absolute. If Mr Walker insists that New Zealand pay rates should be related to the price of bread, and to rates in North America, he must logically conclude from his examples that New Zealand rates should be reduced. We do not share any such suggestion. — Editor.]