TAILORESSES AWARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13084, 25 January 1906, Page 6

TAILORESSES AWARD.

A MINIMUM WAGE

[BY TELKURAPK. —PRESS ASSOCIATION".]

Dtjxemn", Wednesday. The Arbitration Court gave its decision .this' afternoon 011 the application of the inspector of factories for ail interpretation of clauses 9. 10, and 11 of the award made in the tailoresses' dispute, relating to the minimum wage. The Court was asked: Does the section (No. 11) govern the fixing of the wages of all workers, or only those whose - average earnings exceed 25s per week? If it governs all workers, is it necessary for the worker whoso average wage is less than 25s pel week, and who is satisfied with her employer's adjustment, to obtain a .permit from the chairman of the Conciliation Board?

The Court replied : The general scheme of the award is to retain the existing rate of wages, while commuting pieceworker.®' wages into weekly wages. Clause 9 should give rise to no difficulty where the employers' books show tliat a pieceworker lias been earning above 25s i>er week. The question asked arises in the case where, on examination, a pieceworker is found to have been earning less than 25s as her "full-time earnings."' The figures would then show, presumably, that she was not capable of earning 25s when working full time. We think that in such case she must be treated either as an under-rato worker, under clause 8, or as an improver, and that it is competent for the chairman so to decide without fresh application. It was not intended that workers' wages should be permananetly fixed below 25s under clauses 9 and 10, yet this might be the effect of acting under these clausesalone, without reference to clause 8. Clause 8 is (lie appropriate clause for so fixing a lower wage than that prescribed by clause 7, and the only one. In this connection we would point out for the guidance of the chairman—first, that clause 8 applies I" all classes of workers without exception, and secondly, that the clause relating to improvers refers to her first (or second) year of service.