Clerical award clause causes disagreement

Press, 22 October 1986, Page 9

Clerical award clause causes disagreement

The Canterbury Employers’ Association and the Canterbury Clerical Workers’ Union disagree over the effect an employers’ counter-claiip would have on clerical workers’ pay. The employers’ advocate for the general clerical award, Mr Neil McPhail, said in Christchurch that a claim by the union reported in “The Press” of Saturday that employers sought to cut wages for clerical workers was “absolute nonsense.” However, the union’s secretary, Mr Leon Morel, stands by his claim.

Mr McPhail said the union had claimed that an employers’ counter-claim relating to part-time workers would cut the

wages of clerical workers working 37V£ hours a week, and that every worker working more than 30 hours a week but less than 40 would become a part-time worker. “We have been inundated by calls from employers who have been asked by their clerical workers for clarification. Clerical workers can be assured that the proposal put up by the employers is simply to remove the 30-hour restriction on part-time work,” said Mr McPhail. “It is not intended to affect the position of workers currently working a 37.5 hour week, and it is not intended to convert full-timers to parttimers as claimed. The union has completely misinterpreted the employers’ proposal,” said Mr McPhail. “Clerical workers are entitled to know the correct position.” Mr Morel said yesterday that the award at present entitled all cleri-

cal workers working more than 30 hours but less than 40 to a full weekly award wage. The employers’ counter-claim would take away that protection. “There are no two ways to interpret their counterclaim. It is a fact that the employers’ counter-claim would mean a reduction in wages for those who work over 30 and less than 40 hours a week,” said Mr Morel. The clause in the award says: “Where the employer does not regularly require the services of a worker full time he/she shall pay such a worker not less than the pro rata appropriate salary scale unless the employer requires the worker to work more than 30 hours a week in which case the worker shall be classified as a full-time worker and paid accordingly. Workers working 30 hours or less a week shall be termed part-time workers.” The employers were trying to cut the clause from “... unless the employer ...” Mr Morel .said.