AWARDS FOR CLERKS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 151, 23 March 1938, Page 8

AWARDS FOR CLERKS

Position Of Woollen Mills’ Employees DISPUTE BEFORE COURT The position of clerical workers in factories was the subject of considerable argument when the New Zealand Federated Woollen Mills and Hosieiy Factories dispute came before t<he Court of Arbitration at Wellington yesterday. The employers were represented by Mr. A. S. Cookson and Mr. .Tames Evans. Mr. N. T. Young, with him Mr. W. W.' Batchelor, appeared for the workers. Mr. N. Pharazyn, on behalf of the Clerical Workers’ Association, objected to clerical workers being covered by the claims'. Mr. Cookson raised a similar objection, pointing out that clerks were already covered by the clerical workers’ awards. Mr. Young said that the point involved a considerable amount of law and a special address had been prepared on behalf of the workers. In respect of his application to include female chenille and setting-room weavers, he desired to make it clear that these people were employed by an Auckland firm, and that originally they were not organised and were not members of the union. They were now members of the union. If the court did not grant the application in respect of these workers he would have seriously to consider beginning a fresh dispute for a separate award. Mr. Pharazyn said all clerical workers were already substantially covered. Very shortly there would be a case for a Dominion award for cleri-, cal workers, this, he understood, would be heard next month or early in May. To Mr. Prime, Mr. Pharazyn said the association’s rules covered all clerical workers. i

In reply to a statement by his Honour that clerical workers tvere different from other workers in that they were common to all classes of industry, Mr. Young said that in the Wellington district about nine clerical workers were members of the Woollen Mills’ Union, and had been since the inception of the law. The rules of the union took in all workers in factories. Mr. Young then read his prepared address dealing with clerical workers. The claims for wages were-a replica of those made by the Wellington Clerical Workers’ Union, and the applicants were agreeable to accept the rates of wages prescribed by the award dated December 23, 1936, applying to clerical workers of manufacturers within a 25 mile radius of Wellington. After outlining the reasons for the application Mr, Young concluded by suggesting that it was preferable that an employer should deal with only one union and with one award for the industry, rather than with one union and one award for each working day of a fortnight. He contended that the claim was justified legally and morally. Mr. Pharazyn submitted argument in support of his contention that clerical workers should not be covered by the award sought by Mr. .Young. Mr. Young said he was only asking for clerical workers employed in factories tobe bound by the 'Woollen Workers’award. v Mr. Prime: You want workers to be covered by two separate awards, one for Petone clerks and one for the clerks in town? Mr. Young said it 'was only employees in factories at Petone that he applied to have covered in the Woollen Mill’s award. Town workers were covered by another award. Mr. Cookson submitted -that the Woollen Mills’ award did not cover clerical workers, who were covered by separate awards. These had priority over any other application at that juncture. If Mr. Young’s application were successful an absurd position would be created of clerks in Petone factories working under a different set of conditions from those in town offices.' The court reserved its decision.