WAGES AND HOURS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 73, 23 February 1945, Page 2

WAGES AND HOURS

EMPLOYERS’ VIEWS.

At tlie annual meeting of the Manawatu-Wairarapa Employers’ Association, last evening, industrial problems as between employer and employee were discussed. The president (Mr W. M. SextoiN said the Government's plans for stabilisation and conttol of prices and wages were having to be adjusted due to political pressure from the trade unions. Many were quite willing, from the employers’ point of view, to admit that the workers had a good deal in their favour so far as their wage claims were concerned. Some of the wages being paid, after taxation was deducted, were not enough for the average man to live on, and employers should be prepared to consult and cooperate with the unions and employee groups with a view to getting a better standard. “I don’t mean that we should go ahead and give rises in pay without returns,” added Mr Sexton. “The workers should set their house in order and give a lietter return for the money paid them. Most of us as employers will agree that the services and general conduct of the workers have deteriorated in the . last few years because they were in the happy position of knowing we had to have their services and put up with tilings which we would not have tolerated two or three years ago.” Mr Sexton considered that there should be a certain amount of unifdrmity in awards. One trade group could not expect to be more highly paid than another. He urged employers to make themselves, conversant with all awards so as to avoid having anything “pushed on to them” that other workers were not getting. Uniformity in hours would be one of the bones of contention in the future, said Mr W. H. Brown. He asked Mr Sexton if he" favoured the 40-hour week and whether employers should press for an extension. Mr Sexton replied that it was inevitable that, hours would become uniform and the 40-hour week might have to be rocoghised. “We might not gel; unanimity, but

we can get somewhere towards uniformity,” he added. Mr D. J. Rogers said the abolition of the national security tax would immediately provide the worker with extra wages. Mr Brown. There is no chance cf that coming off lill after the war. Mr V. B. Gravistock: Not until rehabilitation is finished- with.