SHOP ASSISTANTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17291, 5 October 1916, Page 4

SHOP ASSISTANTS.

CONDITIONS AND WAGES

CONFERENCE IN CHUISTCHtJBOH.

At a conference of delegates from Roti.il and Softwoods Employees' Unions, held in Christchurch a short timo ago, it was decided that fresh claims should bo drawn up.' under tho provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. for a Dominion award. There is an award in operation in Canterbury at tho present, time, and it is proposed that the interpretation in it of the words "shop assistant" should bo extended in order to include branch managers and manageresses, window-dressers, canvassers, department managers, clerks and cashiers, and female packers, seniors and juniors, instead of the old classification providing for apprentices, improvers and assistants. The proposed interpretation also includes those engaged on orders for goods as well as those engaged in their reception, display, sale and delivery. A branch manager is defined as a shop assistant incharge cf or in superintendence of a branch (-hop, with or without tho duty of buying. Other, definitions agreed to were:—Windowdiesser —An employee wholly or substantially employed in the display of goods in tho window or shop for public inspection. Canvasser—An employee engaged in canvassing for orders for goods or in collecting moneys. Senior — An employee who has served six years in tho trade as a shop assistant. Junior —An employee who has served more than three years and less than six as an assistant.

The wages asked fcr are as follow: Branch manager or manageress, £5 los per week; department manager or manageress, £5 10s; window dresser, £5: canvasser, £4, senior (male) £4, femalo £2 10s. The proposed rates for assistants of sixteen years of ago or under entering tho trado are as fcliow, with the present rates in parentheses:—First year of service, males 15s (10s), females 15s (7s 6d); second year, males 22s Gd (los), females 20s (10s); third year, males 32s 8d (20s), females 25s (12s 6d); fourth year, males £2 (27s 6d), females £llos (17s 6d), fifth year, males £2 10s (£1 12s 6d), females £1 15s (£1 2s fid).; sixth vcar, males £3 5s (£2), females £2 2s' (£1 55.); thereafter, males £4 (£3), females £2 10s (£1 10s). A clause provides that any person employed as a- shop assistant without previous experience shall, if twenty-one years of age or over, bo treated as having entered upon hia or her fifth year of service. Another clause in tho statement of claim provides that any female employed in soiling or handling men's and juveniles" clothing, mercery, nats, hosiery, silks, velveteens, dresses, nianchester, furnishing, drapery, carpets, linoleums, bedding, cotton dress goods, prints etc., shall be paid tho wages prescribed for males. It is asked that the head or only storenmn should bo brought under the provisions of the award, tho wages asked beinc £3 10s per week; £3 per week is asked for storemen or packers over twenty years of age, instead of £2 10s now paid, and a corresponding increase for youths from sixteen to twenty years. For casual male hands 2s 6d per hour is asked, instead of Is 4sd now paid, end for females Is Gd. instead of lOd. A minimum payment of 16s por day for males and 12s for females is asked. . The hours of employment 6et forth aro from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., with an hour off for lunch, on five days of the week, and from 9 a.m. till 12 noon on tho day of tho weekly half-holiday. It is also asked that no assistant shall be employed after noon on Saturdays. Another now clause asks that each employee on leaving or being discharged from his employment shall within twentv-four hours bo given a reference in writing, stating the position hold and length of service. It is also asked that employees engaged ra performing higher duties shall be paid accordingly, and that employees required to work after 6 p.m. shall bo paid Is tea money, in addition to overtime.