Clerical Workers’ New Award

Northern Advocate, 16 July 1938, Page 8

Clerical Workers’ New Award

[Special to “Northern Advocate. M AUCKLAND, This Day. Clercial workers generally benefit substantially under the provisions of the new award which has now been released by the Arbitration Court, and which comes info operation on Monday next. It covers the Northern district, also the Wellington (25 miles radius), Westland, Otago and Southland districts. The major improvements are: A rise of 5/- a week for senior male employees; a rise of 10/- a week for senior female employees, with 5/- extra for those employed on ledger postings or book-keeping machines. A fortnight’s holiday on full pay for all clerks. The 40-hour week does not apply generally to clerks, a majority opinion of the court holding that, the hours of a clerical worker shall be those of the establishment in which he is engaged. The employees' representative on the Arbitration Court, Mr A. W. Croskery. dissented from this.

Another important provision fixes the proportion of senior clerks to junior clerks at one to two. The award was made by the Arbitration Court presided over by Mr Justice Hunter, and is for a term of one ye'ar, from July 18,- 1938. It covers all office workers, except cleaners, lift attendants, messengers (solely employed as such) and canvassers and collectors, whose woi'k is .substantially outside the office. Provision is made that a female worker of the age of 21 years or upwards shall receive not less than £l/16/- per week.