THE TAILORING TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16757, 25 January 1918, Page 6

THE TAILORING TRADE.

«. EFFECT OF NEW CONDITIONS, VIEWS X)F THE EMPLOYEES The conditions laid down by the Arbitra tion Court iu the new award for tin tailoring trade, which will como into fare on Monday, February 4, aro meeting wit! strong opposition from the Aucklam Tailors' and Tailorcsses' Unions, and th meetings of the unions concerned hav decided that the new award is so drastic and has reversed so many of the oli award conditions, that it should bo op posed by every legitimate means. The master tailors, on the other hand stato that in tlie past the tailoring trad was in a declining condition, owing to th competition of factory-made garments approximating in style and finish to tailor made poods at fairly moderate prices—i short, that they were being penalised fo being tradesmen. They claim that th only advantage they enjoy under the ne\ award' consists in the removal 'Of som very trying restrictions as to the conduc of the workrooms and the manner in whic the work is produced. They further stat that under the new award the employee have had their wages increased by 5 weekly, that they get the hourly rate o ladies work increased from Is 4cf to Is 6c while the overtime rates have been ii: creased all round. The log rate in Audi land under the previous award was la lji and Is in other parts of New Zealand but in the new award, which will operat throughout New Zealand, the general lo rate will bo Is Id. The contentious matter of the ne< award is contained in clause 7, whic reads "Right to introduco what eve machinery his business may require, an to divide or sub-divide the labour in an wav he may deem necessary, subject t award wages, provided there shall do en ployed on coats one journeyman to ever tour journeywomen or apprentices, c fraction of four." The employers stato that they are < the opinion that the contention that tli divisional labour—which the unions clan will replace over 50 per cent, of the ma! workers with female labour—will mat sweating possible is absolutely groundles: as sweating, under the conditions impose by New Zealand factory legislation, quito impossible. Award hours have I bo observed, and the award wages pan Under the old conditions they wore ei titled to employ one weekly hand to ever four piece-workers, but they can now en ploy all their workers as weekly hand; and they do not have to employ lug) priced workmen on work that can be doc by less skilled labour. The master tailoi also state that in the past when aware have expired the Tailors' Unions hav 'asked for and received increases in wage the last award—that made in April, 191 —giving them an increase of 12J per can on their wages generally, making the lo the highest in Australasia. Finally, tho master tailors aro of the opinion that under tho conditions set down by the new award they will get a higher standard of work. RESOLUTIONS BY UNIONS. VIEWS OF BOOTMAKERS. At a meeting of tho Auckland branch of the Now Zealand Federated Boot Trade Union'on Wednesday evening a deputation representing the Tailors' Union attended and submitted that union's case in regard to tho now Tailors' Award. A resolution was unanimously adopted expressing sympathy with the tailors' protest against tho award, which, it was stated in the resolution, represented a reduction of N per cent, in wages. The teams system,' it was assorted, would mean -practically the replacement of 50 per cent, of the male workers by female labour. The opinion was expressed that if the Court considered that female labour should be introduced to replace men on active service the pay i should be the same as for men, on the principle of " equal pay for equal work." The resolution assured the tailors of moral and financial support in any action that they might take. A similar resolution has been passed by the Auckland District Council of tho United Federation of Labour.