WAGES RESTORATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 10 December 1936, Page 21

WAGES RESTORATION

LETTER TO POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL. “I understand that your council has not yet restored the wages of your various employees to the scale that wan paid for work of a similar nature that was performed by your staff on March 31, 1931,” stated a letter received at the monthly meeting of the Poliangina County Council, yesterday, from the district inspector of factories (Mr G. Brown). The letter then set out the provisions of the Finance Act, 1936, which had become operative on July 1, 1936, and proceeded ‘ ‘lf my information is correct, I shall he glad if you will kindly make arrangements without further delay to restore the rates of wages of your employees to the correct legal minima, and that you pay tho arrears which are due to them from July 1 last. When the arrears of wages have been paid, I shall he glad if you will kindly forward me a certificate showing the amount paid to each worker, stating his classification. You are advised that this legislation refers to all your employees, administrative, clerical, trades, and labouring.” “He has been very much misinformed,” remarked Cr. J. Mackenzie. The chairman (Cr. S. J. Straban) said the clerk (Mr A. E. Orgias) had forwarded a reply stating that the council had restored wages to the level of March 31, 1931, as from June 1 and all the county workers were now in receipt of wages as good as or better than those paid on March 31, 1931. Cr. Mackenzie: If we had restored the wages to the 1931 level there would have been a reduction, not an increase. Mr Orgias: That is not the case. The wages have been restored to the March level, but after March, 1931, they were reduced. (jr. W. McKay: We are still below the standard rate of wages. The chairman: Yes, hut that will he discussed later. We have thought that when all the Arbitration Court proceedings affecting us have been completed we might bo able to fix the whole matter up n.t one time and pay anything outstanding. On the proposal of the chairman the letter was received, no action being taken.