Pay rises on milk runs

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 14

Pay rises on milk runs

PA Wellington Milk delivery workers would receive a pay rise of between 23.4 per cent and 24.7 per cent, the president of the Federation of Labour, Mr Jim Knox, has said. This would take the pay of children aged between 11 and 14 to $2.72 an hour, rising in stages to $4.62 for an 18-year-old.

Mr Knox said the federation was reasonably pleased with the increases negotiated with the Milk Vendors’ Association.

As low-paid workers, a “decent hike in rates” was overdue and the final

settlement was in line with increases won by low-paid and youth-rate workers during the last award round, he said. However, while the recent negotiations were a step in the right direction, the rate was still too low.

As well, the code of practice was difficult to enforce and could only be resolved by changes in the law.

Mr Knox said many milk vendors had paid out an interim 15 per cent on March 1, so that part of the increase had already been applied.