Men avoiding clerical jobs

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 5

Men avoiding clerical jobs

PA Wellington Few men worked in clerical jobs because the rates were so “lousy,” the acting secretary of the Central Clerical Workers’ Union, Ms Christine Gillespie, said.

"Award rate workers are paid lousy wages that cannot sustain a family — that is why so few men work in clerical work,” she said.

Women workers earned on average only 75 per cent of male wages. “Nor do we accept that a decent increase in our wage rates will cause unemployment,” Ms Gillespie said. Increases of at least 9.5 per cent this wage round would not mean equal pay, but were the least workers could expect.

The Hotel Workers’ Union has already announced that it would be seeking a 9.5 per cent increase for its members, and was singled out for special criticism from the Minister of Finance, Mr Douglas.

The claim was worked out on predictions of a 6.5 per cent inflation rate plus a 3 per cent catch-up for losses already suffered by workers, the union said last month. As well, the increase was the same as the most recent increase for members of Parliament.

Mr Douglas said the size of the claim was putting the economy at risk and showed that the union had no regard for the welfare of its members.