PIECEWORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 45, 22 August 1939, Page 10

PIECEWORK

PRINCIPLE DISCUSSED

EMPLOYERS' PROPOSAL

WORKERS OPPOSED

The principle of piecework as opposed to minimum hourly or weekly rates of pay was discussed at length, and with some vigour, today at the hearing of the coachworkers' dispute in conciliation council. The employers, in their counter-proposals, sought provision for the application of piecework in any branch of the trade, subject to the rates fixed securing to a competent worker at least 10 per cent, more than the minimum or ordinary rate prescribed by the award. Strong opposition to such a clause was voiced by the workers' representatives. Mr, John E. Hunt, employers' assessor, said he was quite prepared to follow the lead of the Minister of Public Works in this matter. He added that his firm still carried on piecework, and said that the men so employed were making that much money that they were putting the minimum wage to shame. A workers' assessor: They will be in opposition to you shortly. Mr. P. B. Page (workers' assessor) said that trade unions all over the country objected to piecework. * Mr. Hunt: What do they do in the coal mines? Aren't the men there on piecework? Mr. Page said that they were on contract work, and there was a considerable difference between piecework and contract work. "When we agree to a clause like that it will be time for us to pack up and get out," declared Mr. N. V. Douglas, agent for the workers, referring to the employers' proposal. He added that he would sooner resign his position than agree to such a clause. "STOMACHS FILLED." In reply to a question from Mr. | Hunt, Mr. Douglas said that workers had had their stomachs filled with piecework until they were sick of it. Mr. Hunt asked why piecework was provided for on public works in this country. All the men working on public works by law had to belong to a union. Why did not the union object to piecework? On behalf of the workers' side of the table, it was contended that public works wei»e ai entirely different matter. There provision also was made for a minimum wage. The employers' proposal in this instance allowed for 10 per cent. On the public works there was no maximum. "For many years I was secretary of an organisation," said the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. M. J. Reardon), "and the majority of the men, in fact, all the men, worked on piecework, and I think it is safe to say that they would not take off their coats for the wages being earned by other men on the hourly rate. They are still on piecework, and as far as I know they are not likely to change." Referring to the employers' proposal in this case, Mr. Page said 'that Mr. Semple's men on public works j were on co-operative contracts in gangs. The employers in these proceedings wanted to deal with individuals. Mr. Hunt said he was willing to listen to constructive criticism whereby the union could come into the fixing of the rate. Replying to a workers' assessor, Mr. Reardon said that the organisation to which he had referred was the freezing workers' union. The assessor pointed out that the minimum wage prescribed for slaughtermen on the chain system was 3s 6d an hour. Mr. Reardon said that the chain system had not come in then. But today the men were only on the chain system for about the first month. An employers' assessor remarked that the men in the freezing works were employed in a seasonal occupation, to which one of the workers' assessors replied that there were recognised slack periods in the coach and motor-body trade. AN OLD PREJUDICE. Mr. Reardon said that there had been prejudice against piecework ever since about 1890. He suggested, however, that workers' organisations to- . day were strong enough to resist the pressure of employers and said that they seemed to him to be strong enough to command terms that would > assure the workers a better rate of wages on piecework than could be got . by the hour. He quoted the bonus ' system operating in the clothing trade ■ and in the tobacco factory. As a result of the bonus system, some of the ] girls, he understood, were getting over ■ £3 a week, whereas without the bonus \ they would be getting £2 12s 6d or ; £2 15s a week. i "What happens when the next j award comes up?" asked Mr. Page. I ] "Next time they will be wanting ; direct, production increases for a j lower minimum rate. The piecework j rate is to establish speed and the next I time they go for an award the em-1 ployers will want production speeded < up for a lower minimum rate." 1 Mr. Hunt said that in the last award ; piecework was cut out, but it had been ] provided for previously. Their object in wanting piecework was to be able 1 to put certain men on to a job and * know in that way exactly what it was c going to cost. That was the big bug- « bear in the shops today; they got let 1 down on their labour. 1 A workers' assessor asked Mr. Hunt i if he meant that the majority of his i workers let him down. 1 Mr. Hunt said he did not know that * he would agree with the term "let him < down." The point he wished to make I was that labour costs varied greatly > for the same job. Costs sheets spread over a period, of three months would show that the labour costs of different, men on the same rate and doing the same work varied up to 50 per cent. "If I have to budget on what I think is a fair thing," he added, "and I find that the job costs me 50 per cent, more I am in the cart." The higher the minimum rate was fixed, he contended, the less the good man was going to get. If the poorer 1 class of workers had to be paid a high < rate that involved bringing the good £ men down to their level. c It was decided to hold over the I clause until later in the procedings.