Shop workers’ award talks

Press, 17 November 1977, Page 6

Shop workers’ award talks

Shop assistants in Christchurch employed under the retail (non-food) award will meet in the Town Hall on November 28 to hear a report from their assessors on the progress of their award claims.

Shop assistants in Ashburton and Timaru under the same award will meet the next day. The secretary of the Canterbury Shop Assistants’ Union (Mr B. Alderdice) said yesterday that the conciliation talks held in Auckland ;last week were adjourned by ]mutual agreement to Decem]ber 20 to allow the assessors ito report back and get the I advice of its members. : The union assessors seek

increased penal rates to deter retailers from opening on .Saturdays and on more than lone late shopping night. The

employers have resisted this claim. The union also claimed a 24 per cent wage increase, but reduced it during conciliation talks to 134 per cent, which Mr Alderdice said was the increase, needed to maintain relativity with the rate the Clerical Workers’ Union has sought for its main award. However] the clerical award is still in dispute bejfore the Industrial Commission. I Mr Aiderdice said the em[ployers had offered shop assistants a 7 per cent increase in wages during the conciliation talks. He said there had been no I movement by the employers concerning meal money for ithe customary late night, nor I for the union claim for a 'clothing allowance.