WORKERS WANTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14648, 6 April 1911, Page 7

WORKERS WANTED.

BOOT INDUSTRY AFFECTED. MASTER AND MAN CONFER. ALLEGED SHORTAGE DENIED. , ... ;-~ # t conference between representatives of She manufacturers and of the workers in the boot industry in Auckland, regarding Ihe supply of operative labour, was opened h the Chamber of Commerce yesterday kfternoon. The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Leo Myers, predded, and the Auckland Boot Manufac- ... turers' Union of Employers was represen- ■ ted by .Messrs. H. Der.rsley (president), C. Hodgson (Northern Boot and Shoe kfamifacturing Company), G. A. Coles Messrs. Coles and Co.), M. Trenwith [Pioneer Boot, Company), W. A. Murray Messrs W. Murray and Co:), while Mr. £ It Whiting, secretory of the New Zeabd Federated Boot Trades' Unions and Ifr C. P. Barnes, president of the Auckland branch of the federation, represented Ihe workers The Chairman explained the reasons ichieh had led to the decision of the Chamber of Commerce to convene the conference, which, he said, might be fraught with limitless consequences to the Dominion generally, and to the boot trade particularly. He suggested that, each side ihould state its case fairly, with the object first of determining whether there was i shortage in the supply of labour, and if that condition was recognised, the conference might then consider means of dealing with the problem. Mr. Dearsley said the manuf act users appreciated the good intentions of the Chamber in arranging the conference, which rould serve a good purpose if it did no more than afford a means for collecting information to place before the Government, So which the industry must look for assistance. No one who took an intelligent riew of the position could fail to recogaise the existence of a very real difficulty, ind the object of the conference was to lecure united action in representing the seeds of the industry to the Government. Mr. Whiting said he was not prepared io admit that the employers' statement correctly represented the position, but ho igreed that the conference would bo a benefit to ..both parties. On behalf of the workers he thanked the Chamber for its invitation to them to send delegates to meet the manufacturers. The Shortage Described.- , Mr. Hodgson said that although the award fixed the number of boy apprentices it a very small number, the factories had not been able to obtain even that number of boys. In one instance, a factory en- • , titled to four boys had been able to secure only 'one, and the work which should nave been done by lads had of necessity to be done by journeymen. In other trades, only boys above 16 years of age could be employed, hut the boot factories -were able to provide work at 12s 6d per week, or more, to boys between 14 years and 16 years of age. The work was there, but it was not accepted. More important was the question of female labour. The recent award embodied special inducements to women to enter the industry, but although good wages were paid, and the conditions of work had greatly improved, the demand for female hands was not satisfied. A. constant liberal supply of female labour was Wanted to meet the improved demands of the trade, and to enable the » manufacturers to produce the best class of ; goods, but the continual shortage had re- « *tricted progress and output for years past. If this handicap was removed, the factories of the/ Dominion would be able to consume large quantities of the raw material which was shipped away, and imported again in the | form of the finished article. The present papulation of the .' I Dominion was much ; smaller than the richness; of tho country justified, and he , considered thai there was ample room for, : .v the operatives for whom work could be ■■• . . provided. .. . ■ '• > ,<• . - '•V ~. "£1 fori a Boy." = ■■'■■'k,, "Doubts have been expressed," said Mr. Trenwith, "as to whether there is '■.','. a* shortage of boy labour. For some weeks K : 'past there has been a notice in our factory, £1 for a boy.' That is, we have offered to give £I to any man in the fac- ,'• - tor;/ who can secure a boy for us. The money has never been claimed. We have , ' advertised again ' and; again without suc- ' cess. That is proof positive that there ;'.!;•'■' .yi'.'ii a shortage.'' ; : v '_':. /"*-'■;- ' Mr. Murray said he believed \ that the ' same difficulties were experienced in other .parts of the Dominion. He had found . that the shortage was not due to any question of wages, for,it was more diffi- ; ' cult to obtain girls now than it was when -lower wages were paid. He knew of instances of girls leaving boot factories for ' less remunerative employment in shirt factories. Another aspect of: the problem Was that the shortage of female labour ~''". had caused much broken time in the other departments of the manufactories, with the result that many operatives had . loft, the trade to enter other * industries, • which were not similarly dependent upon , 'the complete staff of each branch. There was urgent need for some remedial action, 'it' the boot manufacturers of the Dominion were to continue in competition with :' tile world's factories. I There is no Shortage. •V. Mr. Whiting said he was not prepared j to admit the general contention that there was a shortage of labour. ; The president : of the Industrial Association, Mr. B. Buttle, had said that in various industries ' _, in Auckland there were vacancies for 500 ■ workers, while the industries of the Dominion could provide employment for 2300 workers. That statement was as absurd as one he might make, that there ■Was no employment for any labour that l might be imported from other countries. In a tabulated statement which he had sent' to the Minister for ~ Labour, Mr. Buttle 'bad said that the boot industry of , Auckland could provide employment; for 12i males and 12 females, but that was no proof that the factories could not get hands without going to other countries for them. If the information in connec»;V; tion with other industries Was as inaccurate as that with regard to the boot industry, then he would say that there >; was no shortage of labour, and no need to import workers. If it was proved that the industry was lagging through want of ~ workers, the union would give what assistance it could, but it was not prepared " to do anything to assist the manufacturers of Auckland when it was found that there was so much intermittent labour in ;:; : respect of both male and female labour. The Difficulty Explained. Mr. Whiting explained that the shortage of labour experienced by the manufaci i - :, turers was due to the unattractive conditions of the industry. He asked what /'.::> boy would be attracted by the prospect of an apprenticeship of six years leading to a wage of £2 6s lOd per week of 45 hours, when similar industries paid £3 '10a per week. If the term of apprentice- -\ ship was reduced to four or five years, and the minimum wage raised ■to the standard adopted in other trades, there would be less difficulty in obtaining boys for the factories. The reason why women would not accept employment in Auckland boot factories was that they could • not obtain fair remuneration for their-ser-vices. So long as the employers expected th « - women to accept the minimum wage of 2J S M per week irrespective of their : . ability, the difficulty would continue. Woken time also made the boot factory . Jess attractive than other industries, where th* work, if Jess remunerative, was at »wt constant. Since both employers and t' awn aw doing so badly, he suggested]

fc'i'" i» »■ ■ ■"■mi in ii i i in iiiimii i, that the Government should be asked to j take, over the industry and start a State factory. (Laughter). *': There must be something wrong," Mr. Whiting added, "when a girl will leave l » boot factory for a lower* wage in another factory. The evil is either in the conditions or in the management, and I | think it can bo remedied by constant employment for the worker, and a living ) wage for his services." . Mr, Barnes Paid there was evidence that the supply of labour was not inadequate, for applicants for work had been refused, and t a woman who had sought work had been instructed to apply for a permit to accept less than the minimum wage. The jirls were not > working full time, and others were leaving because they could not get increases in their pay. The Fight for Trade. Mr. Hodgson admitted that some of the journeymen in hie factory had been working short time, but the causes had been beyond bis control. The wholesale manufacturers had to meet great competition, and they could not win the Dominion's trade against the imported trade because of the labour difficulties. Any labour that was employed would be paid "at the award rates, and in that connection he remarked that it was the Arbitration Court which had saved the boot industry. Mr. Coles said he had vacancies for a dozen girls, and though Mr. Whiting would not admit it there was a shortage of labour, as was known to every man engaged in the industry. Ho had himself imported six girls from England, but the experiment had resulted in heavy financial loss. One of the greatest handicaps to the industry was |luit the manufacturers' could not guarantee » certainty of delivery, and it was in that Connection that the unions could assist. I Disheartening Conditions. \ Sir. Murray said he could not get girls for his factory, and he had had to dismiss men because'there was not the work for Ahem. The trade was not sufficiently profitable to enable the manufacturers to treat their employees more generously. . The conditions Mere so disheartening that he had decided to withdraw from the industry. Mr. Murray added that the industry was not adequately assisted, and while some measure of protection was given to the inferior article the tariff did not help the manufacturers in their effort to produce the higher class of footwear. | The Chairman said the last point was most important. The question was whether the trade was to be stimulated by additional tariff protection or whether it wag to go out of existence. There was no doubt that tho employers in New Zealand were most desirous of treating their employees fairly, and there was a reciprocal feeling on the part of the employees, I After some farther discussion the conference adjourned until four o'clock this afternoon.