BAKERS DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 88, 11 October 1932, Page 8

BAKERS DISPUTE

SHORTER HOURS SOUGHT

THE WAGES QUESTION

Conciliation proceedings, in the dispute of the New Zealand Federated Bakers' and Pastrycooks' and Belated Trades Employees Industrial Association of Workers were- opened' to-day before the Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) upon a Dominion citation by the union. Tie applicants' assessors were Messrs. E. J. Watson (Auckland), A. McCarthy (Auckland), F. Mawhinney (Wellington), A. Collins (Wellington) P. J. Niall (Christchurch), T. Hutton (Dunedin), and W. C. Nisbett (Gisborne). The respondents' assessors were Messrs. C. Cowan (Auckland), E. H. Montgomery (Auckland),1 A. I. Clegg (Wellington), W. A. Kellow (Wellington), L. A. Woodward (Christchurch), G. A. . Laurenson (Dunedin), and D. Dustin (Wanganui). It was agreed to take the applicants' proposals first and to treat the respondents' suggestions, as counter-pro-posals. In regard to the claim for a 40-hour week, Mr. Watson said that.the shorter hours were proposed with the object of getting unemployed men back into the trade. To this the employers replied that the more men engaged, the higher the producing costs,.as every man would have to be paid a living wage. There would be a boomerang effect on the men, perhaps by the use of machinery. Would not the shorter hours mean more overtime t Mr. Watson said that more overtime was not sought, but a wage that would be a living one without men having to work overtime. "What are you going to do for the 25 per cent, of men in the trade who have served their time and cannot be placed?" he asked. "It is a question of the time needed to meet the desired production. If this can be met in 40 hours, or even 20 hours, then those hours are sufficient." For the employers it was stated that the 48-hour .week, an extension of two hours, was desired so as to reduce overtime. It was stressed that the baking processes occupied a certain number ,of hours, and the influence of the weather made the processes variable. The wages sought by the applicants, with the employers' proposals in parentheses, are:—Foreman baker or pastrycook, £5 10s (£4 10s); journeyman baker or pastrycook, £5 (£4); bakehouse labourers or packers, £.4 Os 6d (£3 ss). After a general discussion upon the definition of /casual labourers iand the starting and finishing times, with their influence on additional payments in certain cases, the sitting was' adjourned until 2 p.m. (Proceeding.)