BOOT OPERATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 68, 17 September 1930, Page 9

BOOT OPERATIVES

DOMINION AWARD FIUSD

The Dominion Boot Operatives' Award has been filed in the Arbitration Court. In a memorandum his Honour Mr, Justice Prazer states that with some minor amendments the award follows the lines of the expired awards.

Mr. A. L. Monteith (employees' representative) records the following dissenting opinion: "I am not in agreement in regard to the rate of wages awarded to assistants, and the piecework clause. The scale for assistants is based on experience, aa against the English scale on age, and a scale on experience should carry higher rates than one on age. Under this award it is possible for girls and women from fifteen years upwards in their first year Ito■ be employed at los per week. Thi« 1 may be reasonable for a girl of, say, fifteen | yeaxs, but not for a girl of eighteen or over. In connection with piecework, I am of opinion that rates should be agreed upon between the union and the employer, with appeal in case of no agreement, and both should have a copy of rate awarded. If employers want piecework, why Should anyone object to the workers' organisations having full details of the rates operating?"

The award provides for a week of fortyfour hours, eight hours to be worked on. five days between 7.30 a.m. and 5.30. p.m., and four hours on Saturdays, between 7.30 a.m. and noon. The minimum rate* of wages for assistants are as follow: First year, 15s a week; second year, £1 Is; third year, £1 6s; fourth year, £1 11s; fifth, year, £1 16s. Where an assistant is employed on hot-wax-thread machines, she is to receive an addition of 10 per cent. PIECEWORK CLAUSE. The piecework clause is as follows: "(a) Any employer bound by this award shall b' at liberty to agree with a worker on a system of piecework or bonus payment, provided that any such agreement shall be in writing, clearly setting out the system of payment, and provided also that no worker shall receive less than the minimum rate of wages provided herein: (b) A copy of every such agreement and every amendment or variation thereof shall be given by the employer to the worker immediately after its execution.