CARTAGE OF CREAM

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 11

CARTAGE OF CREAM

“Impossible Conditions” EFFECT OF LEGISLATION Comment on the effect of recent legislation on dairy companies’ contracts for cream cartage was made recently by Mr. A. J. Sinclair, secretarymanager of the Te Awamutu Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, Limited. Dairy companies were in a state of bewilderment as the result of recent legislation, he said. The Finance Adjustment Act of 1936 had made it necessary for them to revise their cream contracts to provide for increased wages and other additional increases caused by the legislation of the past year. It was quite clear, however, that owner-drivers who held cream contracts did not come under these provisions, and the onus rested entirely upon dairy companies to see that these contractors were treated equitably. “Licensing authorities are at present granting licences to cream contractors imposing conditions which are impossible where cream is collected seven days a week,” said Mr. Sinclair. “It is a standing grievance in our industry that awards are made between employers and employees in related industries without any reference to us, although we are the people who pay.” A new lorry-drivers’ award, retrospective as from December 21, had just come into force. Under the regulations it was compulsory for a driver to take a complete day off each week, unless exemption was granted by the licensing authority, and endorsed on the licence. The award stated that where exemption was granted, the driver might work two half-days not exceeding four hours each. In many cases it was impossible for cream contractors in back country districts, travelling a route of 25 to 30 miles, to deliver cream to the factory under six hours. This difficulty had been recognised by the New Zealand Drivers’ and Related Trades Industrial Union of workers, who had agreed to a variation of the regulations provided the applicant applied for exemption from the exemption, and on condition that the driver was paid, over and above his ordinary wage, a penal rate of 1/6 per hour for the extra time. It was doubtful if five per cent, of the applicants were aware of this, and dairy companies generally .were quite ignorant of the position.