EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1706, 25 March 1913, Page 3

EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK.

REMARKS BY A VICTORTAN JUDGE. • Dealing in Melbourne in a supplementary judgment in, connection, wifth. his award for commercial, clerks, with tlio question of equal pay 'for equal . work, Mr. Justice Cussen said the question was most complex. The phrase was to an 'extent ambiguous.Did it moan equal'pay for the same class of work, or equal nay for the same quarltity of work?. "If Parliament wishes that males and females should be segregated in different employments," wiid his. Honour, "it is Parliament's duty to say so, and there would then, in one . aspect, be no question <<#• equal pay for equal work, for the simple reason thai men and women would never be doing the fame work. I disclaim any desire to settle questions of such enormous public importance, or by any decision of mine to cause a huge upheaval .in the existing order of things. Finally, 'I would say this, if it'is desired that the wages should be fixed alt the same rate for both sexes regarding tha interests of both, or if it is desired that wages should be . fixed with' regard to the interests of men only, and then niitomaitically the samo rates should be paid, for 'females. Parliament should snv so. On,the contrary, it . has been said that age and s a x must be considered, and nearly all special beards have carried -out arrangements. Whether any such change would be desiral>le in the interests of either,,or both I decline to. discuss. I simply say that such' a vast change in tihe existing order of things must. be brought about by that, organ which represents itho whole community and-not by a wages board or a Court." His Honour explained that ho had 'l«cide<l to inolude in the award a stipulation providing that where the rate of pay for male apprentices, and improvers is 15s per week, females should get at least 12s. His idea in fixing what might be thought a high figure for young girls was with the object of discouraging their employment until they had reached 17 years of age.