CONCERN OF MASTER PAINTERS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 223, 17 June 1936, Page 3

CONCERN OF MASTER PAINTERS

Individual Competition MEN APPLY FOR A NEW AWARD The competition of individual journeymen operating on their own account and not subject to award provisions, with employers who would be compelled to observe the 40-hour week was referred to by Mr. D. I. Macdonald, of Christchurch, at the Conciliation Council at Wellington yesterday. Mr. Macdonald said this was one of the biggest problems of the 40-hour week in its effect on the building industry, particularly painting, also other industries and branches of the retail trade. Mr. Macdonald was one of the New Zealand Federated Master Painters, Decorators and Signwriters’ Association of Employers’ assessors in the proceedings in which the New Zealand Painters and Decorators’ Association of Workers applied for a new award. The claims of the workers were described by Mr. Macdonald as representing an approximate 20 per cent, increase in wages and the restoration of all conditions enjoyed in boom times. When the painting industry experienced boom times it was prepared to pay, as it had always been prepared to "do, but it was not going to do so two or three years in advance in the hope that boom times were going to be experienced. The employees’ assessors knew as well as he that it was not the painters who would bear the increased costs but the clients. On the profits earned in the past few years the employers could not voluntarily afford to give all that was asked for. The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. S. Ritchie, presided. The employers’ assessors, besides Mr. Macdonald, were: Messrs. A. H. Penny and N. Taylor, of Auckland; T. A. Wells, of Wellington; J. W. Bowden and E. J. Bell, of Christchurch; and P. Findlay, of Dunedin. Assessors for the employees were: Messrs. H. Campbell, of Auckland; R. J. Nicolle. of Christchurch; G. Spence, of Dunedin; W. Shannon and F. W. Cornwell, of Wellington; C. Leigh, of Wanganui; and F. Cullen, of Nelson. Forty-hour Five-day Week. Opening the discussion for the workers, who sought a 40-hour five-day week, the counter-proposal being 44 hours, five and a half days, Mr. F. W. Cornwell said that in the past 14 or 15 years a number of employers in the industry had favoured the reduced working week. Under the new legislation the 40-hour week would operate in all industries, including building, of which painting was an allied part, from September 1. It would be a graceful act on the employers’ part if they admitted the position rather . than wait and have it forced on them by the court. M bile a number of the employers at various stages expressed favour with the 40-hour week, here was a golden opportunity to be the first to grant it. If tile cmployets accepted it, tlie union would wait until September 1 for its operation. He was certain all the employers _ assessors could not accept the principle, though on the other hand they might eventually have to accept the inevitable, said Mr. Macdonald in reply. There were a number of points to be considered before employers could voluntarily accept the 40-hour week. Difficulties were Jm® 1 / to arise in certain sections o£ the building trade. A kit of tools was cheap, and it was easy for men to set up on their own account. The more employers restricted their own right to work, the greater the competition from these individual operators outside the award. This was one of the biggest problems of the 40-hour week, said Mr. Macdonald. In such branches of industry as plumbing, mechanics, radio service, and even in the retail trades where shops would bo compelled to close earlier than nt present, it brought employers face to face with the problem of increased competition from tradesmen mid small shopkeepers operating on their own account. While it might be said that the increase they all expected would come in .business, independent of political considerations. New Zealand was definitely on the improve last year, and _ it was hoped, despite political consideration, this improvement would continue, Mr. Macdonald proceeded. There was a tendency

in a country like New Zealand for men to want to commence business on their own account, and no one wanted to restrict them, providing they started on an even keel with those with whom they would compete. In the last few years many men had started on their own, competing with master painters. The desire of suppliers of all types in the industry to get their turnover would have a tendency to keep these men, some of whom would otherwise drift back to the ranks of journeymen, in competition with master tradesmen. At this stage the employers could not agree to the week. Perhaps the workers had some suggestion regarding men working on their own account which would assist employers to meet the position. Injustice to the Trade. In his opinion it was definitely written into the Act that there should be no Saturday work and anyone doing otherwise would be committing a breach of the law, said Mr. Cornwell. “We ace going to ask the court to make it a breach of ■the law,” he said. All in the trade would be bound by the award. Those men who had started on their own account were compelled to because the firms could not employ them, Mr. Cornwell proceeded. He admitted these men had done work at prices unfair to the trade and themselves, thereby doing the trade a great injustice. It was a question of whether the union’s rules could be amended to provide for the infliction, of fines on members for award breaches. The Labour Department had been hard and fast in this regard in the past but with the new Government it was hoped to be possible to enlarge the rules for a union to deal with its own members for award breaches. “We would like to see working on Saturdays an indictable offence.” said Mr. Cornwell. He agreed men could not be prevented starting business on their own account. It-was a privilege of every citizen which no one could control. After the adjournment Mr. Cornwell submitted a clause to meet the situation. This was to the effect that it be a breach of the award if any person engaged in any class of work coming within the scope of the award on Saturdays. Sundays, or any of the award holidays without first obtaining a permit from the Labour Department, the .union to have the right at a special meeting to fine or expel any member committing a breach of this clause. Mr. Macdonald said the employers would like time to consider this proposal. The principal claims of the workers, with the counter-proposals of the employers in parentheses, were: A. 40-hour w.eek of five day of eight hours with no Saturday work (44-hour, five and. half-day week) ; minimum wage for journeymen painters, paperhangers, glaziers,, signwriters, grainers. decorators, pictorial signwriters, paint and lacquer sprayers, 2/6 an hour (2/- an hour) ; overtime, time and a half for the first four hours and double time thereafter (time and a quarter for the first three hours over 44 and time and a half thereafter) ; holidays, New Year’s Day, Good Friday. Easter Monday, Labour Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and, if an annual picnic is held, another day (all but Boxing Day; where an annual picnic is held this to be on a Saturday) ; for work done on Sunday, An?ac Day. and any of the holidays claimed, including Saturday, double time (double time for Sundays, Good Friday, Anzae Day, and Christmas Day; time and a half for work on any other holidays) ; piecework to be prohibited and work not to be sub-let, labour only (piecework to be permitted at such rate as will return to a competent worker not less than the time wages fixed for any one day’s work). In regard to provisions for ship work, the main objectives of the workers were a 40-hour five-day week at 2/6 an hour for all journeymen. Overtime at time and a half for the first four hours and double time thereafter until 6 a.m. on the following day was asked for, and double time for Sundays, Christmas Day, Good Friday, New Year’s Day, Easter Monday. Labour Day, Boxing Day. and Saturdays. The employers’ counter-proposals for the ship work were that the present award be observed. The proceedings were adjourned to enable the parties to consider the respective claims in the light of the arguments submitted.