WAGES AND PRICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22708, 21 April 1937, Page 12

WAGES AND PRICES

WORKERS ON FARMS INCREASES PREDICTED NEW GUARANTEED SCALE OPERATION NEXT AUGUST [iJY TELEGRAPH —OWN . CORRESPONDENT] DUXEDIN, Tuesday A statement that an increase in the guaranteed price for dairy produce, with a consequent increase in the wages of farm workers, would take place in about three months' time, was made by the Hon. F. Waite, M.L.C., at a meeting of the Otago provincial council of the .Farmers' Union. The now rate would probably operate from the beginning of the nest export season. As a consequence, said Mr. Waite, farm workers' wages would be advanced to £2 os a week, with keep, from the present figure of £2s 2s (id. Referring to the negotiations of a new agreement for farm workers other than those on dairy farms, Mr. Waite said the Minister had power by regulation to extend the provisions of the Agricultural Workers Act passed last session to apply to farms other than dairy farms, and jt had been made perfectly plain that if an agreement commensurate with that Act were not arrived at then an award of the Arbitration Court would be made.

Discussions With Union "Representatives of the New Zealand Workers' Union at discussions asked for the classification of all farm labour," Mr. Waite added. "We-would not agree to that, nor would we agiee to a clause providing for preference to unionists, which, in reality, was compulsory unionism. In the fruit farm workers' agreement there is a stipulation that when a man has been working for four weeks he automatically becomes a member of the union and the employer lias to deduct the union fees from his wages and forward them to the union headquarters. We objected to that. The new agreement was on all fours with the Agricultural Workers' Act."

Hours of labour were not prescribed, said Mr. Waite, and 18 days' annual holiday was to be given at a time that suited to the employer, and the minimum wage was fixed at £2 2s Cd with keep, compared with an absolute minimum of £2 18s 6d without keep that could have been secured under an award of the Arbitration Court.

Revision in Three Months This rate of £2 2s 6d, plus 17s 6d a week for keep, would coino into operation, in May, 1937, and would be revised on July 31, from which date the rate of wages would be £2 5s a week for a period of 12 months. Taking it all round, it was not so bad, as there was freedom of.hours and no compulsory unionism. "In the event of there being a fall in the price of wool next year, for instance, we have the right to ask for a reduction' of these wages," said Mr. Waite. "Wages paid under the Agricultural Workers Act are based on the guaranteed price, and if that goes up the wages of dairy farm workers have to go up. We were told that the guaranteed price would go up, and, consequently, there will be a rise in the wages of workers on dairy farms. It is probable that that will also apply to workers on other types of farms. For the next three months wages will be at the present level, and when the guaranteed price goes up wages will follow."