FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 47, 19 November 1936, Page 18

FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

Wages Rates Unsettled i ; CONCILIATION HEARING Although progress was made in many of the machinery clauses in Conciliation Council yesterday in the dispute between the New Zealand Federated Footwear Trades Industrial Association of Workers and the New Zealand Footwear Manufacturers’ Association and other employers listed, the main clause—that relating to wages—has been referred to the Arbitration Court for settlement. Mr. M. J. Reardon, conciliation commissioner, presided, and the assessors were: —Employers: Messrs. H. B. Duckworth, Christchurch, C. W. Coles, Auckland, J. R. Luff, Dunedin, P. Edwards, Wellington, J. East, Christchurch, and W. Denby, Wellington. Mr. A. W. Nesbit, Wellington, acted as advocate. Workers: Messrs. C. A. Watts, Auckland, A. D. Hodson, Auckland, J. W. Moore, Wellington, F. M. Robson, Christchurch, M. Ringrose, -Dunedin, and Miss E. Seymour, Christchurch. The dispute is a Dominion one. A heated discussion arose when Air. Duckworth raised the question of employment of youths and boys. Mr. Duckworth said that there were certain jobs in the industry which were unskilled and on which apprentices could not be employed as it would hold them back. He said that the period so served could be used as one in which to try out the boys to see if they were efficient workers and suited to the trade. He suggested a period of three months and if the boys were found to be satisfactory at the end of that period they could then be apprenticed. “The time has come for a show-down on this business,’’ said Mr. Watts. He wanted to know if the employers intended keeping the boys on the unskilled jobs and So have them looking for a job when they arrived at the ages between 18 and 21. “I know of a case where a boy was kept for 6} years on this type of job," continued Mr. Watts. “I also know of nine lads about 19 years of age who can’t get a job to-day, and I can produce them in court when we go there. We will allow you to employ youths, six months on this job provided that you make them apprentices at the end of that time.” Mr. Reardon said that if there was any chance of helping New Zealand boys to learn the industry, why not take it? Both sides were in agreement on the question and wanted to correct it He said that the principles of both sides had a knowledge of where the fault lay and suggested that they get together and try to find some solution to the difficulty. After the adjournment Mr.' Duckworth said that Mr. Watts and himself had agreed upon the following clauses: “No boy unless bound by agreement or indentures, shall be employed or retained in employment except (1) on probation for a period not exceeding three months with the first employer, or one month with any subsequent employer, or other three probationary periods; or (2) employed at other work, such as errands, sweeping or cleaning factory, buffing inner soles, feathering in-soles and out-soles, tacking on In-soles, putting in stiffeners and toe-puffs, opening and closing ' channels, putting in lasts, cementing, bottom-filling, shanking, last-carrying, sorting, assembling lifts, heel-nail feeding, inking edges, inking and colouring (one colour only), and rubbing off heels, bottoms and edges. “Boys under the age of 16 years may he employed at any of the work , named in sub-section (2) of this clause. After the age of 16 years, the boy shall be apprenticed, or, if no vacancy Is available in the apprenticeship quota, the advisory committee shall sanction the continuance of his employment, or dispose of the matter in such manner . as is deemed just.”

Mr. Duckworth wanted to know about the boys employed in his factory who were over the age of 16, and in an effort to solve the problem of the boys over the apprenticeship age who were still employed at the above work the following clause was drafted: — “This clause shall not apply for one year from the date of the coming into operation of this award to any boy at present employed at this work. The case of any such boy not then apprenticed to be referred to the advisory committee.”

The proportion of boys allowed under sub-section 2 of the above clause is not to exceed one boy to every five male journeymen employed in the factory. The rates of pay for youths and boys were fixed as follows: —First six months 15/-, second 19/-, third 23/-, fourth 27/-, fifth 3:1/-, sixth 35/-, seventh 40/-, eighth 50/-, ninth 60/-, tenth 75/-.

It was agreed that the advisory committee should consist of three representatives of the employers and three representatives of the union parties to the award, and is to be set up in each industrial district.

The following were clauses agreed upon:— “It shall be the duty of the employer within seven days of engaging workers to ensure that such workers shall be members of the union. This proviso shall also apply to those non-union workers already employed, but any son or daughter of the employer shall be exempt from the operation of this clause.

“Upon receipt of notification from the union that any worker has ceased to be a member of that union, the employer shall thereupon inform such worker that he or she must become a member of the union within seven days; failure to take such action by the worker aud the employer shall constitute a breach of this award and such worker shall be dismissed at the expiry of such seven days.

“No industrial agreement or other instrument shall be executed between the New Zealand Footwear Trade Association Industrial Union of Employers and non-union workers, or between the New Zealand Federated Footwear Trade Industrial Union of Workers and non-union employers, whether the matters dealt with in such agreement or instrument come within the scope of this award or not, unless written notice of intention to execute such agreement or instrument shall have been given by the employers or the union as the ease may be, to the other party to this award.” All time worked in excess of 40 hours in one week, or of eight in any one day, is to he paid for at time and a half for the first four hours and double time thereafter.

The council adjourned until this morning, when the slipper-making section will lie discussed.