BASIC WAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1936, Page 7

BASIC WAGE

WOMEN WORKERS’ POSITION (Per Press Association.—Copyright). WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. Reference to the fact that the great majority of the women workers or •New Zealand are not affected by the Arbitration Court’s decision on the female basic wage was made hv the Minister of Labour, Hon H. T. Armstrong, to-dav. The Minister said' there was a disparity between the rates awarded for women workers as compared, with those for males, especially when the rates were contrasted, on a percentage basis, with the similar awards in other countries. The lowes percentage basis, with the similar awards in other countries. The lowest percentage basis, with tho lation to males in Australia was- 53 per cent., and in other ' countries it ran upMo 60 per cent. The New Zealand proportion in relation to the male basic wage is 47.23 per cent. The Minister said : “A s far as the majority of women workers were concerned, a s they are employed in factories or shops, they will get higher than the basic wage, either under awards or through the operation of tho shops, offices and factories legislation, which gives a minimum of £2 pec week after three years’ service, and some of them will lie entitled to this long before they are twenty-one year s of age. There are some women whose minimum is now lower than the basic wage, hut there are not many of thorn, as the great ’vnjority, bv reason of awards, or of last session’s minimum wage legislation, are better off than under the basic wage.”