Shearing rates under fire

Press, 22 June 1978, Page 2

Shearing rates under fire

Canterbury farmers who offer more than award rates to attract shearers have come under fire from North Canterbury Federated Farmers.

The attack came at yesterday’s meeting of the organisation’s meat and wool executive, and was led by the chairman, Mr M. R. Murchison. He said that some farmers were paying up to $3 more per 100 sheep shorn than the award rate. This was especially unreasonable, as a new Canterbury award had been reached.

It had been agreed then that the Canterbury rate of 15 per cent above the national rate be continued this year. This would apply across the board to machine shearing and crutching. “It is ludicrous to go to all that trouble and have local fanners immediately conceding to unrealistic demands,” said Mr Murchison. He spoke of the need for solidarity amongst farmers and urged them to abide by negotiations. “We should stick together and understand that these things are undertaken on our behalf. Don’t pay demand rates,” he said. The new national rate for machine shearing is $29.70 per 100 sheep, while that for Canterbury is $34.16. The agreement was reached with the understanding that shearers supply details to justify the Canterbury excess of 15 per cent, at

next year’s award talks. The blade shearing rate of $44.30 per 100 applies to the whole of New Zealand. The excess has been a long-term issue and arises from the shearers’ submission that problems unique to Canterbury merit additional wages. One of these proto lems is a larger number of small runs in Canterbury, which means fewer sheep being shorn.