HAIRDRESSING

Evening Post, Issue 30, 4 August 1936, Page 10

HAIRDRESSING

CASES WITHDRAWN

OTHERS CLAIM-40 HOURS

MEN'S WEEK FIXED ;

When . hairdressers' unions throughout New Zealand claimed . a 40-hour week in the Arbitration Court today, Mr. J. Barnett, of Christchurch,' who appeared for the Canterbury and Southland . hairdressers, withdrew the applications of the unions he represented. The claims of the Wellington and Otago male hairdressers and those of female workers throughout New Zealand were proceeded with, but when the application of the Wellington hairdressers was called later: it "was"-with-drawn. ■ • ■

When the cases were called Mr. Barnett said that the decision of the Court regarding hours in tha. grocex-y trade had decided the unions he represented, to withdraw their applications. In reply to his Honour Mr. Justice Page, he said that he understood the awards would be amended to provide for a 44-hour week. His Honour intimated that amendments would be made to provide for a 44-hour, week with Saturday work. FEMALE ASSISTANTS. Mr. L. J. Clarke, who appeared for the Wellington male and female hairdressers' assistants, submitted that a 40-hour week could be adopted ia women's hairdressing establishments.' For the employers, Mr. W. J. Mountjoy, secretary of the Wellington Employers' Association, submitted that the shorter working week in industry would make Saturday hairdressing for women more essential than ever, and consequently a 44-hour we,ek would be necessary. Mr. Mountjoy presented a comprehensive statement on the.position in women's hairdressing salons.•ln. the past the employers had endeavoured to restrict the trading hours as much as possible, and they believed, that a 44-hour week could be worked. However, Saturday work was important, and the .industry would suffer if clients could not be attended to on Saturday. Country clients would be lost if they could not attend oh Saturdays; those who were working during the week would not be able to have their hairdressing done: and turnover would be reduced because the work: done on Fridays and Saturdays represented 60 per cent, of the week's work, and the work done on Saturdays where the salons were open all dayrepresented 30 .per cent.

Mr. Mountj oy also set out in detail how the returns of an assistant would be reduced by reason of the shorter hours, and said that the average earnings would be reduced from £10 6s 7d from a 48-hour week to £8 65.7 d from a 40-hour week. He called Messrs. R. Dentice and B. Brickman, of Wellington, and P. Chiverton, of Christchurch, in support of his submissions. Mr. Clarke called Mfss E. Bradstock to give evidence for the workers. Decision 'was reserved. MALE ASSISTANTS. When the application of the Wellington male workers was called Mr. Clarke. said the workers would withdraw if the awards were amended to provide for a 44-hbur week and the union had the right to claim a 40-hour week ,when . their ,-award C.was renewed. Mr. R. F. Franklin, secretary of the Wellington Provincial ..Tobacconists* and Hairdressers' Association, agreed that such an arrangement would be suitable to the employers and this awards were amended accordingly. Mr. Li. Paget, secretary of the Ne\\r Zealand Retail Tobacconists' and Hairdressers' Federation, who represented the Dunedin and Oamaru employers, asked what would be done in those cases as the workers were not present to support their applications.

His Honour said the Court proposed to make, a comprehensive order to provide for a 44-hour week,.as consideration of one area might prejudice those who had withdrawn their applications on the understanding that a 40-hour week could be claimed later.