TAILORS’ AWARD

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 294, 7 September 1932, Page 10

TAILORS’ AWARD

Full Settlement Made AGREEMENT ON WAGES Tribute to Commissioner 4 CONCILIATION SUCCESS Complete agreement on all questions in dispute was reached between representatives of employers and workers in the tailoring trade at the conciliation proceedings in which the parties ' participated yesterday. Wages proved the most contentious issue. At the conclusion of the proceedings the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. E AV. F. Gohns, commented upon the amicable spirit shown by both sides, and, in turn, the assessors for the employers and employees referred to the great help and guidance they had received from Mr. Gohns.

The Wellington Master Tailors’ Association was represented by Messrs. W. Mountjoy, D. Milligan, H. Gotlieb, G. Krebs, and W. H. Stephen. The representatives of the Wellington Tailors’ Industrial Union of Workers were Messrs. E. Newton, H. Johns, C. McFadzean, and J. Boberts, of Christchurch.

Hitherto the minimum award rate of wages for tailors and pressers was £4 per week, less 10 per cent. At the earlier conciliation proceedings about a fortnight ago the employers’ representatives' offered £4/9/- for tailors, the union representatives asking for £4/15/- for tailors and £4/10/- for pressers. When proceedings were resumed yesterday morning Mr. Newton said the union’s proposals were as low as the workers’ assessors could go. Mr. Newton said the employees had already agreed on a team system, and that some allowance should be made for that.

Mr. Mountjoy said a tailor was no more skilled than a carpenter, plumber, plasterer, bricklayer, or electrician. The tailor had no expensive tools to buy.

Mr. Newton: The tailor has been underpaid in the past.

Mr. Krebs challenged the statement that tailoring workers had been underpaid. “I say you have not been underpaid,” he 'said to the workers’ assessors.

Mr. Mountjoy said the employers were prepared to consider any reasonable offer the workers might put forward. Nevertheless, the employers were not prepared to concede 2/2 per hour. After further discussion the commissioner remarked that there had been a fairly good discussion on the proposals of the employees. He asked Mr. Mountjoy to make a statement as to the distance the employers were prepared to go. Increase on Last Year. Mr. Mountjoy mentioned that at the last sitting of the council the employers had made an offer of £4/9/-, less 10 per cent., for tailors. Some of the assessors had thought that was too high. To show that the employers were sincere and had given further consideration to their original offer of £4/9/- they were now prepared to go to £4/10/- for tailors and £4/5/- for pressers, less 10 per cent, in each case. In addition, the employers were prepared to insert a clause under which pressers engaged on any tailors’ work would receive tailors’ rates of pay.

The’representatives of the workers then retired to consider the employers’ offer. On their return Mr. Newton said the workers could not for a minute agree to the employers’ offer, but they were prepared to lower their offer in each case by 2/6. That W’ould be £4/12/6 for tailors and £4/7/6 for pressers. With the 10 per cent, reduction the rate would be £4/3/3 for tailors and £3/18/9 for pressers. “Very Liberal Rise.”

Mr. Mountjoy said the only reason why the employers had suggested an increase was because of the alteration in the system. If there had been no alteration the employers would not have given more than the workers were receiving under existing conditions. After a short retirement Mr. Mountjoy said the employers were not prepared to agree to the union representatives’ proposals. They considered the 10/- increase on the present minimum rate was very liberal; in fact, many master tailors might consider it far too generous. “The employers are anxious to reach an agreement,” said Mr. Mountjoy, “but there is a limit to which they can go.” The commissioner said it would be a pity if there were going to be a deadlock over 2/6. When the council' resumed after the luncheon adjournment Mr. Newton reported that the workers’ representatives had considered the position and had decided to accept the offer made by the employers of £4/10/- for tailors. At the same time they made a strong appeal to the employers’ representatives to raise the pressers’ wages to £4/7/6. Tlie employers’ representatives then retired to consider the proposal of the union representatives in respect to pressers. On returning to the council room Mr. Mountjoy said the employers’ representatives were prepared to agree to the proposal put forward by the workers’ assessors, provided that the latter agreed to pressers being engaged on repair work. Should pressers be employed on new work they would be paid not less than the rate fixed for tailors. This was agreed to by the union assessors. Piecework Rates. After further lengthy discussion on the rates for piecework a settlement was reached on the basis of payment for this work. When agreement had been reached a formal resolution was carried referring the dispute to the Arbitration Court as a full settlement, with the exception of the under-rate workers’ clause left by the mutual consent of the parties for the consideration of the court.

“I congratulate the parties upon the very amicable way in which they have met and tlie settlement they have come to,” said the commissioner. What had been done was an innovation in the tailoring trade. He believed they had set an example of something that would eventually be for the good of the trade, both employers and employees. For the employers, Messrs. Mountjoy and Milligan, and on behalf of the workers, Messrs. Newton and McFadzean, all thanked the commissioner for the assistance they Had received from him, and congratulated him on his able conduct of the proceedings His knowledge of the trade had been invaluable to them in their discussions. The respective parties also commended the reasonable attitude of the other.