REDUCTION OF BONUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 8

REDUCTION OF BONUS.

PtEA FOR EXEMPTION.

CUTTERS AND PRESSERS. [BT TKLBGBAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHUECH. Friday. At the Arbitration Court to-day an application was made by the Clothing Trades' Federation for the exemption of cutters and pressers in clothing factories from the second bonus " cut " of 3s. Mr. R. Slater, for the federation, stated that the basic wage of workers referred to was £3 17s a week. If the reduction were made, their earnings would btf brought below £4 a week. The cutters. were undoubtedly skilled workers, and the pressers were almost in the same category. They should not be placed in a worse position that that of saddlers or bootmakers, or in one no better than that of shop assistants or labourers. Ihe federation would have had good reason for an objection on behalf of these workers when the first reduction was declared, but it allowed the matter to pass. Mr. E. F. Cooper ,for the employers, submitted that a comparison between tha wages paid to cutters and pressers was not relevant to an. application like the present, but only to proceedings for a new award. The wages had been cetermined after all the circumstances had been considered. If an exemption were granted, other classes of workers might very well feel aggrieved. The products of the industry were bought chiefly by working people. The Court reserved its decision.