40-HOUR WEEK

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 June 1936, Page 10

40-HOUR WEEK

CLOTHING TO*BE DEARER

[PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

AUCKLAND, June 11

lu view of the fact that they had booked large orders in January and February last, for goods to be delivered in September and December, at prices based on manufacturing costs at the time, tne employers in the Dominion clothing trade dispute before the Conciliation Council, made a proposal that the Union should agree to a 44 hours week, ruling under the old award, continuing to the end of tne present year. If done, the employers would agree to a 40 hours week from January 1 next. , The Union, whose claims embraced the 40 hours week, refused the 'proposal, but it was admitted that the employers had a case for permission .to increase prices.

'•‘We want you to consider the case of the industry under shorter hours,” said Mr. T. O. Bishop, secretary of •he Employers’ Federation, address-

ing the Union assessors. ‘‘We recognise the Government’s desire to bring the 40 hours- week into the industry, as soon as possible, but you all know as well as the employers that in this industry, orders are obtained in January and February for delivery from September to December. The Clothing trade is now working to fill orders at fixed prices. Have you realised how hard the industry is hit by this .new legislation? Do you know the total increase in the wages bill will not be less than 52 per cent? Big orders have been taken on the old basis of cost at fixed prices. How, in thp circumstances, is the industry going to stand an increase of 52 per cent? We therefore ask you to ease down the 40 hours week proposals. We want you to agree to a 44 hours week until the end of Ihe year. 11 you do that, we will accept the 40 hours week from January 1. Mr. J. Roberts (a Union assessor): The figures you give are impressive. Mr. Bishop: They are correct. Mr. Roberts: But there is the point that the workers suffered a 33 1-3 per cent, reduction in the 1931 rates. For the first year, girls were reduced from 15/- to 10/-. An employers’ assessor: There was a 10 per cent. cut. Mr. Roberts: I am referring to the lower paid wages. When you quote a 52 per cent, rise you are not quite lair. When cuts are taken into consideration, you nave had the benefit of 33 1-3 per cent, drop for two years under the old award. Mr. Bishop replied that the increased wages represented

52 PER CENT. ON WAGES

ruling when the orders were accepted. It is perfectly' true that wages were reduced, he said, hut that does not alter the cold hard fact that the employers undertook to deliver goods on the cost ruling at the time they made the contracts. “We ask you to ease things, down, not in respect of* wages, but in hours.” ' Mr. Roberts said it was desired to help the manufacturers as much as possible, but the employers should, consider the position in which the Union was placed. The Government desired to impose the 40 hours week on the. industry, and the clothing trade' was one of v the easiest in which/ the reduced hours could be imposed. The employees were largely woipeii. Au assessor: That’s sentiment.

Mr. Roberts: The world is made by sentiment. We are not going to let down the trades union principle for whicn we have fought lor years, when it is within our grasp. We recognise the difficulty in which the employers are placed and we are prepared to help them in any way that is possible. Mr. Bishop (to Mr. Roberts): Do you think for a moment the Court will refuse our request for a 44 hours week until the end of the year, in order to fulfil our orders. I will make any reasonable bet it will not refuse our request. Mr. Roberts: in take you on.

Mr. Bishop: We will go to the Court and show our order-books. It can’t refuse a reasonable request. A Union assessor: You offered yesterday if we would accept a 44 hours week that you would pay extra wages for four hours over the 40. Mr. Bishop: That’s a separate thing. It was turned down. Mr. Bishop added that from the Union’s point of view, the present offer was advantageous. If it were agreed to, the Union would be first -to secure the 40 hours week. Mr. Roberts: 1 am quite willing Io take the responsibility of refusing it. Your offer is worse than yesterday’s. Mr. E. Nicholsen (an employers’ assessor): If the Court refuses us it should agree to the raising of prices. Mr. Bishop said the question of prices hardly came within the province of the Court.

Mr. Roberts said he agreed that employers should be permitted to claim higher prices on goods sold, but the employers should remember that in the war period they enjoyed the advantage that prices went “sky high” while there was a lag of IS months before the employees got the benefit of increased wages. It was agreed that the Arbitration Court should be asked to -settle the question of hours.