FACTORY WORKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 14

FACTORY WORKERS

DEMANDS BY UNION HIGHER WAGES SOUGHT AUCKLAND AWARD CASE The Arbitration Court yesterday morning heard the dispute of the Auckland cutters, pressors and other clothing factory operatives' union, who were represented by Mr. W. S. Moxsom. Mr. T. 0. Bishop appeared for tho employers. Most matters of importance had been referred from tho Conciliation Council to tho Court. Tho employers submitted tho terms of the existing award as their counter-proposals.

The first matter referred to the Court was the definition of first-class chart cutters. Mr. Moxsom said these men wore doing similar operations to those done by tailor-cutters, who were considered as specialists and paid from £8 10s to £ls a, week.

In the matter of hours it had been agreed that the ordinary working hours should be eight a day, worked from Monday to Friday, but the employers did not agree that tho hours should bo worked between S a.m. and noon and between 12.45 p.m. and 4.45 p.m. The union asked that tho wages should be 011 a scale commensurate with the high state of skill and efficiency found in the clothing industry at tho present time. Wages of £8 Weekly

Mr. Moxsom said that for a number of years past tailoring work had been steadily drifting to the factories. As the first-class cutter was doing tho work that was originally done by tailors he should be placed on the same basis in tho matter of wages and should receive £8 a week. Other wages asked wero £6 for second-class chart cutters and for hand chart pressers, and £5 10s for stock cutters and trimmers, stock pressers, male machinists, examiners, clothing oilers, and under-pressers and seam oixmers. Mr. Moxsom asked that each worker should be entitled to one day's annual holiday on full pay for each calendar month worked. It was recognised generally that this was not a really healthy occupation. He produced bottles containing specimens of dust caused by cutting machines, and specimens of respirators used. This applied also to fur cutters, except that respirators could not bo used by them. Shift Work Suggested

Called by Mr. Bishop, W. H. Jaggs, manager of the Cambridge Clothing Factory, Newmarket, said there hail never beon provision for first-class chart cutters in past awards. They wero like leading cutters, and were the representatives of the employers in control of the staff, both in the tailoring trade and in the wholesale trade. Tho employers objected to the proposed clock hours, because it might be necessary for them to employ shifts with their male cutters. In the past the wages of male workers had always beon 011 an hourly basis. There was no doubt that tho increased costs involved in tho union's demands would lead to increased competition from oversoas. There was evidence of that already. In answer to Mr. Moxsom, witness said tho 40-hour week applied in wartime had been a sucooss because it got rid of absenteeism among the employees. Facing Competition Further evidence for the employers was given by George Dennes, Auckland manager for Ross and Glendining, Limited. He said overseas competition was keener than ever, and there was a rush of business to avoid the added costs that were inevitable.

M. B. Thorpe, accountant and secretary of R. Greer and Son, Limited, and A. J. Shackell, managing director of the Regent Clothing Company, also gave evidence.

With reference to first-class chart cutters, Mr. Bishop submitted it was not desirable that officers in charge of staff should be compelled to be members of the employees' union. The employers' objections to tho increased wages and holidays wore entirely based on the question of cost.

The President of the Court, Mr. Justice Page, said the Court would take time to consider its award. Tho Court's view was that such awards should be general throughout tho Dominion, and he asked the parties to confer as to whether this Auckland award could be made general.