CHEMISTS' ASSISTANTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16561, 9 June 1917, Page 8

CHEMISTS' ASSISTANTS.

INDUSTRIAL AWARD SOUGHT

WAGES AND HOURS OF LABOUR. The Auckland chemists' assistants' industrial dispute came before the Arbitration Court yesterday. Mr. Justice Stringer presided. The clauses left in dispute were hoars of work, wages for unregistered and registered assistants and managers application of the award so far as it applies to female workers, and the term of the award.

Mr. J. H. Mortensen, for the union, stated that the men had originally demanded a week of 48 hours, but on account of so many men having gone to the front the union had conceded a week of 52 hours straight out—that was, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. In regard to night dispensaries, these were amply provided for at present, and there was no need to make new provision in the award for them. The union asked for a straightout minimum wage of £4 5s a week, instead of the old sliding scale. A wage of £5 5s a week was asked for assistants who were properly qualified chemists. For managers a weekly wage of £6 10s was asked for. The union objected to the introduction of female labour unless a course of apprenticeship was entered into. The union asked that the award be made for a period of two years. Mr. S. E. Wright said that employers asked for the hours of work to be the same as now worked. The wages awarded in Chriskhurch were the rates that the employers desired should be fixed in Auckland, and, as had been done in the Southern city, they asked for managersthe employers' direct representative—to be excluded from the award. It was also desirous that chemists should be allowed to continue to employ females in shops. It was also a«ked that the award be made to terminate at the same time as the Chriskhurch award. Mr. | Wright intimated the particular clauses in the Chriskhurch award that the Auckland employers had no objection to including in their award. The wages paid under the Christchurch award were : Unregistered assistants, £3 5s a week ; registered assistants, £4 5s a week. The Court reserved its decision.