WAGE INCREASE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23481, 19 October 1939, Page 13

WAGE INCREASE

PUBLIC WORKS MEN HD AN HOUR ALL ROUND OPERATION FROM OCTOBER 1 DETAILS YET TO BE SETTLED A general increase of Hd an hour for all men employed on public works has been authorised by the Cabinet, according to the Labour newspaper the Standard. In addition, a further payment of 1 ViA an hour will be made to married men who have to accept single men's accommodation. On the basis of a 40-hotir week, the new rates represent an advance of 5s a week to all men and a special advance of 10s to married men who are separated from their families. All other terms and conditions of the Public Works Workers' Agreement will be subject to final revision with departmental officers, it is stated. Union officials confidently expect that at an early date, similar agreements will be entered into 011 behalf of road maintenance, State forestry and land developmental workers. The Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, stated yesterday that the increase would operate from October 1, according to a Press Association messaged He said the increases would make the wages of the men comparable with those prevailing under awards in other industries. The increase would bring the minimum wage on public works up to £-1 os a week. The secretary of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Workers Union, the Hon. F. E. Lark, M.L.C., said vesterdav that the central executive had been making representations to the Government for the increase for the past five months. Negotiations were delaved for many reasons, including the absence of Mr. Nash in England and the illness of the Prime Minister, y\ Yt Savage. "Final details will bo settled at a conference in Wellington 011 Friday, continued Mr. Lark, who will leave for the conference to-night. "It will be attended bv public works officials and delegates appointed by the union executive to make representations in the first place."