EXCLUSION OF WOMEN SOUGHT

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 141, 11 March 1938, Page 6

EXCLUSION OF WOMEN SOUGHT

Paint Workers’ Union

SUGGESTED DANGER OF LEAD POISONING

Asking that women sliuould be excluded from the industry, the Wellington Paint and Varnish Workers’ Union yesterday brought an application before the Court of Arbitration at Wellington. As grounds for the request it was stated that the women were subjected to a risk of lead poisoning. This, however, the employers denied. A petition from the women was placed before the Court, pleading that their means of livelihood should not be taken from them. The Court reserved judgment.

The case was heard by Mr. Justice O’Hegan, with him Mr. W. Cecil Prime (employers’ assessor), arid Mr. A. L. Monteafh (workers’ assessor). Mr. A. AV. Nisbet appeared for the employers and Mr. T. J. L. Tucker for the union.

The workers asked also for a tenminute smoko, 20 minutes crib time, and a pint of milk a man daily. Mr. Tucker said that the question of women working in paint factories had -been debated in the highest workers’ tribunals in the world. Recommendations from the conferences at Geneva showed that the percentage of lead poisoning in female workers was higher than in males. Lead Inhalation in pregnancy brought about abortion. The best-known antidote to lead inhalation, according to medical authority, was nourishing food and in particular milk.

Evidence was given that the only firm in the district employing women in the manufacture of paint was that of Messrs. Pinchin. Johnson and Company,' Miramar;' There nine women were employed, labelling, lidding and painting the tops of cans of synthetic enamel. They did not, however, handle any lead paint. Only one man handled the lead nowder, which was in a different building, and when he did so he wore a respirator.. The women were hot’in contact with any lead.

Mr. Nisbet said that in other countries women were employed in similar light work. The Health Department was satisfied that they were not in contact with lead. The part of the factory where they were working was entirely separate from where any lead was being handled. He called evidence to show- that there had never been any ill-health among the women workers nor any complaints £rom them. Mr. Nisbet produced a statement signed by all the girls, stating that they were satisfied -with their conditions and asking that their livelihood should not be jeopardised. He pointed out that they were all financial member§ of the Paint and Varnish Workers’ Union.

Referring to the milk, Mr. Nisbet said that he had consulted a health officer, who told him that milk was of doubtful value. Figures on the incidence of lead-noisoning showed that

there had been only 10 eases in New Zealand in the last three years. Of these, 70 per cent, were storage-battery workers, who were actually handling lead. Of the few cases among paint workers, the great majority were from ingestion, not inhalation; they ilere due to workers going to meals without washing the lead powder from their hands.

Air. Justice O’Regan sriid that the court would possibly inspect the factory in question. Judgment would be given in writing.