RETAILERS’ BURDEN

Evening Star, Issue 22688, 30 June 1937, Page 2

RETAILERS’ BURDEN

MIGHT LEAD TO STAFF REDUCTIONS [Per United Press Association.] HASTINGS, June 29. The statement that the retailers of tho Dominion, in addition to a very heavy increase in wages last year, were now' faced with demands which, if granted, would hurt tho employees by pressure on the employers to reduce their employment of labour to a minimum, was made by tho chairman (Mr C. Griffiths') at a meeting of tho Hastings Retailers’ Association, held to consider the award demands of shop assistants. At present, he said, traders carried staffs sufficient to deal with customers at a few, rush hours. In the aggregate, a large number of shop assistants had to be found work to fill in their time during periods when customers were few and far between. To meet tho rapidly rising costs and to bo able to continue their service without ruin, there were only two ways open. First, to give service with the least amount of labour possible; and, secondly, to pass the cost on to tho consumer. In many instances, Mr Griffiths added, the latter way of escape was inevitable, but in some instances competition on a lower cost basis prevented such a natural sequence. It was necessary, therefore, to place the facts before the public, for it would have to bear the heavy end of the burden.