BUTCHERS’ AWARD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 6 April 1945, Page 4

BUTCHERS’ AWARD

QUESTION OF WOMAN ASSISTANT Auckland, April 5. Doubt as to whether a woman employed as an assistant in a retail butcher’s shop was covered by the Auckland butchers’ award was expressed at a sitting of the Auckland Industrial Manpower Committee. The question arose when R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd. (Mr Reed) appealed against the manpower officer’s giving Miss F. P. Morris permission to leave her employment as a shop assistant at the firm's Queen street branch. Evidence that she desired to take a position in a butcher's shop at Waimauku, as she was overworked at Hellaby’s owing to shortage of staff, and that her health had suffered wa.>, given by Miss Morris. She understood she was engaged under the Auckland butchers’ trade labour legislation suspension order, and was covered by the freedom of movement clause enabling - her to leave her employment on a week’s notice. • v - For the district manpower officer. Mr R. Lydford said Miss Morris was work, ing under the freedom of movement instruction which automatically gave h*r permission, except in exceptional circumstances. to take up other work in the same industry, provided she did not start out on her own account. It was pointed out by the chairman of the committee. Mr H. Campbell, that the freedom of movement clause quoted by Mr Lydford was only a recommendation issued by the Controller of Manpower for the guidance of manpower officers and could not be legally enforced. Though she was being paid award rates Miss Morris might not be covered by the Auckland butcher’s award and if that was the case Hellaby’s had no right of appeal. On behalf of appellant company Mr Martin said Miss Morris’s work was excellent. but »t was felt that her application to leave her employment because she wanted more congenial work was not justified, as she was going to take up a similar position in the same trade. There was terrific pressure by the public on meat shops and the only way to give employees a rest would be to close for half a day or a day a week.

The committee reserved its decision till it had the opportunity of examining "the butchers’ award to see whether Miss Morris’s work as a shop assistant was covered by it provisions.—P.A.