NO EVASION

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 13

NO EVASION

New Employment Terms In Shops MINISTER’S WARNING “Evidence of Organised Move” A reiteration of his previous warning that the dismissal of employees with the object of evading the provisions of the Shops and Ofiices Amendment Bill will not be tolerated by the Government, was given iu the House of Representatives yesterday by • the. Minister of Labour, Hon. 11. L. Armstrong. The Minister’s statement was made as the result of a question by Mr. C. 11. Chapman (Government, Wellington North), in conjunction with the members for Napier, Hawke's Bay, limaru and Nelson. The question was: "Will the Minister take steps to ensure that the policy of the Government in connection with the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill is not rendered ineffective through the discharge of employees before July 1?” In an explanatory note Mr. Chapman added : "A chain stores firm with shops in many towns in the Dominion has given its staff a week’s notice and offered to re-employ them on a temporary basis for the apparent purpose of evading the application of the policy of the Government respecting the wage standards of shop assistants.” Requirements of Bill. In reply Mr. Armstrong said: "Section 7 of the Shops and Ofiices Amendment Bill requires that in future every shop assistant shall not be paid less than 15/- a week during the first six months of employment, with halfyearly increments of 4/- a week, bringing the wage up to not less, than £2 a week at the end of the third year. Sub-clause (3) of the same clause reads: ‘For the purpose of determining the rate of payment to which any person is entitled under the said section 11, as amended by this section, there shall be taken into account all periods of that person’s employment in any shop whatsoever, whether before or after the commencement of this Act.’ Mr. Armstrong, continuing, said that in view of the concluding words of subclause (3) employers must credit employees with service prior to the passing of the Act, and could not evade the minimum wages requirements _of the section by dismissing shop assistants prior to July 1 and re-engaging them. It was further provided in section 21 of the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill that no person employed in any shop or office should be dismissed or reduced in wages merely by reason of any alteration made in the working hours under the Bill. “These two clauses may prove sufficient to ensure that the Government’s policy is not rendered z ineffective through the discharge of employees,” said the Minister, “but in any case my department is closely watching the position throughout New Zealand, and if it appears to me necessary in the light of reports which I receive from the districts, the Government will consider what further steps should be taken to see that the purposes of the present legislation are not frustrated.” Notices Withdrawn. Mr. Armstrong said that as far as the particular firm mentioned by the members was concerned, his department had taken the matter up with the firm, and had received an assurance that the notices Issued to members of its staff in various parts of New Zealand on May 27 had been withdrawn. Scores of letters had been received from all parts of the country, added the Minister, and judging by these there was evidence of an organised move to undermine the purpose of the legislation. “I want to warn employers of this particular type that they are not going to get away with it,” said Mr. Armstrong. “As the Prime Minister said last night, our opponents may win the first round, but we shall win the rest.” Mr. Armstrong quoted the case of a girl who had been employed for four years in an office at 25/- a week. She was highly efficient. The girl received notice because under the Bill the firm would have to pay her £2 a week. On the day she received notice an advertisement appeared calling for applicants for two junior positions in the same firm. There was another case of a young man, nearly 21 years of age. It was quite clear that he would have hod to be paid £2 a week, but he had received notice and on the same day an advertisement had appeared from the same firm for two boys for the factory at 15/- a week.