OTAGO CARPENTERS’ WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 26153, 15 July 1947, Page 8

OTAGO CARPENTERS’ WAGES.

Sir, —On the not infrequent occasions upon which Mr S. lkin feels himself impelled to make a statement to the Press upon some industrial matter, lie consistently displays a deplorable inability or reluctance to disclose an accurate presentation of the facts of the case. His comments, published in your issue of Saturday, afford a typical example. This tendency on Mr Ikin’s part is the more deplorable because, being a union secretary, the workers whom he represents would naturally accept his statements as atithoritativp, as they properly should be. .The implication which Mr Ikin’s remarks convey, that the Otago and Southland carpenters have been singled out for a raw deal, is, hqwever, entirely misleading. The Arbitration Court, after hearing the exhaustive argument of the representatives of the parties, issued on the, same day two awards in identical terms, and operative from the same date—one covering Otago and Southland, and tlie other, the rest of the Dominion. This fact is perfectly well known to Mr lkin. as also the reason why the making of two separate awards became necessary, but to make that knowledge public does not apparently suit his peculiar ideas. Although Mr lkin makes a 'comparison, to the apparent disadvantage of workers in this district, between the rates of wages payable to general labourers in Otago and Southland, and in other parts of New Zealand, he is perfectly well aware of the reason for the difference in rates. The rate of 3s O.jd is inclusive of extra payments formerly made for special jobs, and of travelling time, whilst the Otago rate of 2s lOd is supplemented by both the extra payments for special jobs, and for travelling tinie. No person is' infallible, and such inaccuracies might be pardonable on the ground of ignorance. Since, however, Mr lkin is perfectly well aware of all the facts, the inescapable conclusion must be that his sole purpose in making these statements was to foment, in the minds of the workers concerned dissatisfaction with the awards which the court has made.—l am, etc., A. S. Cookson, Secretary, Otago Employer’s Association. July 15.