Decision reserved on ‘youth rates’ of pay

Press, 8 February 1983, Page 9

Decision reserved on ‘youth rates’ of pay

The Arbitration Court reserved its decision in Christchurch yesterday on a case involving "youth rates" of pay. Both the Minister of Labour. Mr Bolger, and the Employers' Federation, said last year that more jobs ■ould be created for young people if employers were allowed to pay "youth rates" in more industries than at present. A Timaru brake specialist. Mr Ron Hull, was before the Court, supported by an advocate from the Canterbury Employers' Association. Mr A ,L Davis, appealing against a decision of the District Commissioner of Apprenticeship in Timaru. Mrs L R. Simmons. Mrs Simmons said that the case arose when an inspector of factories visited Mr Hull's premises and found that John Michael Blackler. aged 17. was being employed as a

"trainee in brake servicing" at junior rates of pay. In the inspector's opinion Mr Blackler should have been paid the rate for a motor mechanic. / In October. 1982. Mr Hull applied for an apprenticeship for Mr Blackler. but Mrs Simmons said that she refused to approve it after consulting with the Commissioner of Apprenticeship. Mr R. S. Julian, who in turn consulted with the Motor Industry Training Board and the Motor Industry Apprenticeship Committee, both of which opposed the proposed contract of apprenticeship. Mr Julian, as chairman of the Motor Trades Apprenticeship Committee, told the Court that the committee thought that the skills proposed to be taught to Mr Blackler clearly duplicated skills already prescribed for automotive engineering in

the Motor Industry Apprenticeship Order and the committee opposed the contract with Mr Blackler because it felt it would promote the fragmentation of tradesman skills.

For Messrs Hull and Blackler, Mr Davis said that Mr Hull was understandably concerned about the possibility of having to pay adult rates for someone of trainee capacity. The effect would be an increase in the industry's costs of training youths of more than 50 per cent. Mr Davis said that the policy of the Apprenticeship Committee was inconsistent with the intention of the Apprenticeship Act. The policy failed to recognise the fragmentation that already existed and the need to keep up with changes in technology and greater specialisation. If such a policy were consistently enforced it would result in a shortfall in

the supply of tradesmen and the intent of the legislation would be frustrated.

Mr Colin Perham, managing director of Safe R Brakes, of Christchurch, and president of the Brake Specialists' Association, said that he had been approached by the Christchurch Polytechnic and by the Labour Department asking him to take on more staff. "But how can you unless there is a proper trade programme imposed to take on vouth workers? You have to pay adult wages but how you can pay a 16-year-o)d the same as a tradesman I don’t understand." he said.

All brake specialists, of whom there were about 45 in New Zealand, would be affected by the Court's decision. said Mr Perham.

The Court comprised Chief Judge J. R. P. Horn and Messrs J. A. Boomer and P. L. Oldham.