BOOT OPERATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1937, Page 12

BOOT OPERATIVES

REWARDING SKILL

BASIC WAGE EFFECT

INCREASED COSTS ?

The difficulty of recognising the skilled worker, as compared with the less skilled, without added costs to the employer under the established basic wage, was made evident in the dispute between the New Zealand Federated Footwear Trades Industrial Union of "Workers and the New Zealand Footwear Manufacturers' Association Incorporated, which occupied the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. M. J. Reardon) today. It was contended by the employers that the increased use of machinery of great efficiency had detracted from the skill needed in certain operations formerly dependant on a measure of skill in the operative, and a classification of workers was suggested. For the workers, it was held that a worker who had finished his apprenticeship must be considered as skilled, and the position of youths working machines, learning nothing else, and dispensed with when too old to learn some other trade was emphasised..

The dispute was before the Conciliation Council in November last, when agreement was reached on many points, and the hearing was adjourned owing to the illness of the union's representative. Matters remaining in dispute in the case of males were wages and annual holidays, and in the case of females hours of work, wages, and proportion of, and teaching of, apprentices.

The assessors for the workers were: —Messrs A. D. Hodson' (Auckland), J. W. Moore (Wellington), F. M. Robson (Christchurch), M. Ringrose (Dunedin), and Miss E. Seymour (Cbristchurch). The assessors for the employers were Messrs. H. B. Duckworth (Christchurch), J. W. Moore (Auckland), J. R. Luff (Dunedin), P. Edwards (Wellington), J. East' (Christchurch), and W. Denby (Wellington). Mr. C. A. Watts was -agent' for the workers and Mr. A. W. Nisbet for the employers.

The suggestion that if wages were settlted agreement on other points would no doubt be possible drew from Mr. Duckworth a reference to a circular sent to union members referring to a determined attempt by the manufacturers to decline discussion of any improvement in wages. This was denied. Of recent years, he said, the introduction of machinery in factories had greatly increased their efficiency. It had also greatly reduced the skill required in some workers. Some of the machines could be run perfectly well by boys of 16. Should men engaged on these machines, which needed no brains nor skill to operate, be paid the same wages as the average skilled bootmaker? Skilled work was now recognised by the employers, but the industry was a protected one, and it could not afford to pay skilled workers more. It was suggested that the difference in pay between skilled and less skilled workers was at present too great. The main point, said Mr. Reardon, appeared to be the minimum wage on which a man, wife, and three children could live decently. • SKILLED AND UNSKILLED. The manufacturers, said Mr. Duckworth, could not afford to be saddled with a minimum rate of wages which would mean still higher wages for skilled operators than were being paid at present. • ~, , ~ t - Mr. Watts took the; attitude- that every man who had finished his apprenticeship must be classed as a skilled worker. Mr. Duckworth agreed that some operations needed skill, but said that there were many, particularly those where the machines did the work, which needed no skill at all. It seemed, said Mr. Reardon, that neither side had changed from the position taken up in November last. Mr Duckworth offered, as an alternative, to classify the operations of journeymen and tradesmen. Skilled men were now paid above the existing ' minimum. ' ' .' „ "If you agree to such a classification, said the Commissioner, "will not the real difficulty remain in the basis'on which you will work? What is the minimum for the lowest rate to be paid in the factories? If you can agree on that it will be easy to consider the question of classification." There were, said Mr. Duckworth some 50 operations in the trade, but there were only 20 performed by males that were skilled, and 30 where no skill was reauired. Asked by Mr. Watts to give instances of the unskilled workers referred to, Mr. Duckworth declined, unless Mr. Watts was prepared to discuss a policy of classification. BASIS OF WAGES. The Commissioner again referred to the necessity of fixing the basis of wages. ■ ■ The discussion'-of classifications was urged by Mr. Nisbet.' ■ . The Commissioner: I would say that the skilled man is entitled to more than the unskilled. The Court will not depart from the basic wage rate established. Your only move would be to ask for a reduction of wages for certain operations, and you would be pretty brave to do that. It would be running contrary to'what might be described as the public policy of the moment. Judges of the Arbitration Court have often expressed1 the opinion that they should not be asked to do more than fix the lowest rate at which people should work. ' Mr. Watts:' We cannot accept less than £4 15s for men and £2 15s for women. With the use of machines, said Mr. Watts, there were many boys of 18 years who had never been taught anything else. No boy over 17 should be employed at something where he was learning nothing. Some boys had been on machines for years, and when they wanted' more money were dispensed with. They were then too old to learn anything else. Replying to this, Mr.Duckworth said it was unfair to bring in the effects of the' depression. At one stage: in Christchurch there were 234 boys.who had matriculated, all 17 years or over, none of whom had ever had work. He himself had employed seven of them temporarily at work girls could do. These had since drifted out to more suitable work. No doubt there were still some boys in factories who had entered before the general outlook improved.

(Proceeding.)