AWARD CLAIMED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 104, 4 May 1937, Page 6

AWARD CLAIMED

WOOLLEN WORKERS

WAGES IN DISPUTE

Proceedings for a new award in the woollen manufacturing industry were begun in Wellington today when representatives of the workers as applicants, and of the employers as respondents, met the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. M. J. Reardon, in conciliation council. The main points in dispute were classification of workers and wages, and these are being discussed.

The assessors for the applicants were Messrs. E. C. Harper (Canterbury). J. Drummond (South Canterbury), J. Simpson (Otago), W. W. Batchelor (Dunedin), J. Little (Wanganui), N. Brady (Auckland), and W. T. Young (agent).

The assessors for the employers were Messrs. J. Evans (Dunedin), A. E. Ramsden (Wellington), W. Miller (Auckland), G. Greenwood (Kaiapoi), J. B. Hatrick (Wellington), A. W. Nisbet (Wellington), C. C. Ewen (Auckland), and A. S. Cookson (agent).

The claims of the workers adopted a wide range of classification, with 2s 9d an hour as the wage for the majority of the classes. Weekly wages were claimed as follows:—Foremen, £7 ss; forewomen, £4 15s; woolsorters and assistant foremen, £6 10s; female head examiners, £3; girls, from 17s 6d a week during the first six months to £2 15s a week in the eighth six months, thereafter the adult female rate; boys, from 18s to £2 16s a week during eight six-monthly periods; hosiery needle straighteners, £7: footer operators, £6 17s 6d; hosiery oilers and cleaners, £5 10s., The claims for hourly wages for adult workers ranged from 3s for hosiei'y mechanics and worsted spinners down to Is 6d for adult females; and for youths Is 6d at 18 years to 2a at 20. A scale of wages for clerical workers was also included, but the inclusion of these workers was opposed by the Clerical Workers' Union. The employers objected to the classification set out by the applicants and asked for the old classification. They offered 2s 4d an hour for woolsorters, hand-loom weavers, warpers, spinners, assistant carders, arid tuners; 2s 2d an hour for woolscourers, chain-minders, assistant combers, and head pressers; 2s 0-jd for all other adult male workers in woollen mills; 2s 3d an hour for hosiery mechanics; 2s Ud an hour for full-fashioned footer and legger operators; and 2s 03d an hour for all other adult male hosiery workers. For girls and youths they offered 15s to £2 a week over four years, and for youths Is 2£d an hour in the fifth year and Is 6id an hour in the sixth year, the basic wage being safeguarded in both claims and counter-claims. The employees claimed January z and Anniversary Day over the holidays offered by the employers, and also asked for the observance of Christmas Day, Boxing, Day, New Year's Day, and Anniversary Day when they fell upon a Sunday. The workers also asked li days for each full month worked as annual holiday.