THE EMPLOYERS' SIDE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 130, 29 November 1926, Page 10

THE EMPLOYERS' SIDE

ANOTHER VIEW OF EARNINGS,

It was quite clear, sasd Mr. J. Milne, speaking for the freezing companies and farmers' organisations yesterday, that there could be no receding from flic attitude already taken up in regard to the freezing workers' claims for more pay, and "the employers' offer to refer the matter to tho Arbitration Court was contingent only on an immediate manning of the works. Mr, Milne traversed the statements made that the average oWother trades, as the lowest rate, was 2s per hour, 2d above the .Court's basic rate. The present award was made in 1921, when Mr. M. J. Reardon, a former freezing union secretary, was one of the assessors, and since then, during two renewals, conditions had remained practically the same, except that increases of pay had been granted from time to time, the latest in 1924, jvhen the Court's memorandum referred to the seasonal nature of the employment.

When the Court extended its basic rate from Is 9d to Is lOd in September, 1925, its pronouncement stated that the freezing workers had already, participated in this advance. The freezing companies declined to join with the workers in approaching the Court for a general increase, and nothing further was done till January last, when go-slow tactics wero tried by the Canterbury slaughtermen without avail. From tho records which tho companies possess, said Mr. Milne, the earnings quoted in the newspapers appear to be isolated cases. Average earnings for 'the season, taken from the records of several works, show the following:— Slaughterhouse assistants, per week, £4 lis 4d; offal house, £4 10s 8d; freezing chambers, £5 17s'4d; fellmongery, £5 4s 2d; tallow, manure, £4 16s 8d; yard labourers, £4 10s lOd; preserving department, £4 tis.Od; hide department, £4 15s. There majy be instances where men have earned considerably less than tho amount quoted, but an investigation of such cases will, no doubt, show' that the cause was outside the control of the company, although, perhaps, nbt altogether beyond the ability of the individual to rectify.

The present position of the industry, and, in fact, the country generally, is such as to indicate that no further increases in wages will be possible; in fact, it will be difficult to maintain rates of pay at their present standard.