FURS AND FASHION

Evening Post, Issue 12, 14 July 1936, Page 16

FURS AND FASHION

SEASONAL DEMAND

WORKING HOURS IN

TRADE

Stating that the demand for furs is largely a seasonal one and that supplies could not be built up during the slack period because of changing fashions, the principal manufacturing furriers of the Dominion applied to the Arbitration Court yesterday afternoon for the right to work a 44-hour week from January to June, both months inclusive, and on 5J days a week, and with five hours' continuous work without an interval, for a meal. The application was opposed by Mr. E. B. Newton, secretary of the Wellington Tailors', Tailoresses", and other Clothing Trade Employees' Union.

Mr. W. J Mountjoy, secretary of the Wellington Employers' Association, who presented the,, applicants' case, said the grounds for the application were:—(l) The industry was a seasonal one, the busy period being six months from January to the end of June; (2) under the 44-hour week it had been necessary to work overtime, and even then there was difficulty in filling orders; (3) the trade being a highly specialised one, it was difficult to obtain sufficient competent labour; (4) stocks of garments could not bebuilt up during the slack periods of the year because of the risk of changing fashions; and (5) owing to the shortage of labour suitable to the industry any reduction in hours would reduce the output of garments and consequently reduce the amount of money expended on labour in the industry.

Mr. D. C. McPherson, sales manager of Mooneys, Ltd., wholesale furriers, Dunedin and Auckland, said his firm had found that skilled workers could not be secured and consequently a great deal of overtime had to be worked. Indent orders ■ were booked from August to November, but the manufacture of garments could not be pushed on then because the new-sea-son skins were not received until ■ the end of the year. The fashion in furs was not known until the season opened, and once it commenced; the orders had to be filled without- delay or they would be lost. Experience had shown that a. fur garment had to be ready shortly after it was ordered or the customer would go elsewhere—probably to purchase a cloth garment. At the request of the workers his firm's factories had been working a 5-day week for the last three months.

To Mr Newton the witness said his idea was to work from 8.30 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. on five days a week.

Similar, evidence was given by Mr. H Morris, a director of the Siberian Fur Company, wholesale furriers, Wellington, Mr. N. Moores, of A. B. Moores and Co., Wellington, and Mr. S, G. James; warehouse manager of. the Fur Trading Company of New Zealand, Ltd., wholesale furriers. Wellington.

The last three witnesses said their principal difficulty was the shortage of skilled labour; if more operatives.could be secured a 40-hour week could be worked. "

Mr. Newton said that one furrier in Wellington had been working under 40 hours a week during, the last 18 months with the exception of \two months in the busy season. Referring to the shortage of workers, he said there were fur machinists working at other trades in Wellington and if the furriers would offer the same inducements "as other vtrades there would be no shortage of workers Fashions did not enter into the fur trade to the same extent as other garments. '

Mr. Newton opposed any increase on the 40-hour week, even if it were compensated by a shorter week during the slack season. If the Court held that the industry was -a ■ seasonal one and granted a 44-hour, week during six months, the "workers should be given four hours' holiday on full pay for every , week worked during the busy.

season.

Decision was reserved.