CHAIN STORES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1931, Page 11

CHAIN STORES

CLAUSES IN AWAKD

EXEMPTION SOUGHT

Objection to tlic inclusion of two i elau.sos agreed to by the Wellington Industrial "Master Grocers' Association and the Wellington Grocers' Assistants' Industrial Union for the new award was raised on behalf or' the chain store proprietors in the Arbitration Court yesterday afternoon. Tha clauses were 2 (o), which prohibited employees working in the shop on Sundays and statutory hall-holidays, and clause 4, which proposed that branch managers should be permitted to open their shops not earlier than 7.30 a.m. and to work half an hour after closing time. Representing the chain stores, Mr. A. Sutherland asked that cither the clauses bo deleted from the award or that the chain stores be exempted from their provisions. The principal objection, ho said, was to clause 4. Branch managers had all the duties and responsibilities of owners except in regard to actual ownership, and were remunerated accordingly. They were vital links in the chain store business, and the effect of the clause would be to destroy the individuality which was essential for the success of the business. Tho only person who would benefit from the inclusion of the clause would be the independent storekeeper. Referring to tho other clause, Mr. Sutherland pointed out that it was usual, in the Self-Help stores at any rate, to take stock on Sundays, about once in every three months. The law allowed only three hours a day overtime, and it was essential to take stock in an unbroken period to ensure accuracy; Sunday was the only day in which that was possible. Evidence regarding the necessity for stocktaking on Sunday was given by A. S. Cooper, manager o£ one of the Self-Help shops at Lower Hutt, who said he worked 4S hours a week. He was -not actually paid extra for stocktaking, and bookkeeping done at home, but his salary and bonuses depended upon his returns, and if the work were dono while the shop was open his returns would fall considerably. Allowance was made in his salary and bonuses for tho work. His salary was £7 10s a week, and his bonuses for the past year were £14 16s. [ Witness said that ho could do the ! actual bookkeeping in ten minutes a I week. The greater part of the work in connection with invoices was not part of his duty, but he did it in his own interests and of his own desire. On behalf of the union, Mr. F. Cornwell said lie opposed tho application. Ho considered the union and the master grocers had been very generous in allowing branch managers to work the extra time proposed. A branch manager was, ho contended, a workor in the- strictest sense. The chief bone of contention was that branch managers remained after closing time to make up orders for the next day. Mr. Justice Frazer pointed out that the award prohibited anyone, whether manager or assistant, from going to the shop on Sunday. Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, representing the master grocers other than chain store proprietors, also opposed tho application, and submitted it was unnecessary to have tho elasticity claimed by the chain stores. Three master grocers gave evidence emphasising that the clauses would be of benefit to grocers in general in eliminating unfair competition. They said that master grocers throughout tho district favoured tho inclusion of the clauses in the award. Two of tho witnesses admitted that they knew nothing of tho working of chain stores, and one stated that it was customary for his brother to return to his shop in the evening. Keplying, Mr. Sutherland submitted that the clauses were detrimental to the welfare or! the branch managers and employees and detrimental to tho welfare of tho public. He pointed out that it had been admitted that the clauses advanced the interests of those opposing chain stores. His Honour said he knew that stocktaking had to be done in a quiet period, but the only question was why that period should be Sunday. Personally, he did not like the idea of roquiring anyone to work on Sunday. He suggested that the stocktaking should be carried out on consecutive nights during the week. Mr. Sutherland said that they were quite agreoablo to have it done on Saturday afternoon. His Honour observed, that the law did not allow shop assistants to work on Saturday afternoon. The award of the Court will be issued after evidenco has been heard at. Napier.