A SIX-WEEKS’ LOCK-OUT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1775, 14 March 1906, Page 18

A SIX-WEEKS’ LOCK-OUT.

PASSIVE RESISTANCE BY TAILORESSES.

AN APPEAL TO UNIONISTS.

DUNEDIN, March 9

The acute position' reached in connection with the tailoresses 5 trouble is shown by an appeal which has just been issued by the secretary of the Tailoresses 5 Union to other industrial unions throughout the colony. This document states:—-

“The New Zealand Federated Tailoresses have instructed me to make an appeal to your union for financial assistance to enable us to continue to support ■a number of our members who have been locked out for the past six weeks. The object of the lock-out is to compel them to make application for under-rate permits, and so evade the payment of the minimum wage stipulated in the new award which came into force on January Ist. The system originally proposed by the employers was to force a large majority of the hands employed to under-rate themselves and pull down the wages of those who were receiving over the minimum wage. To effect this, 300 out of 330 women were threatened to be under-rated, until it became apparent that this extraordinary conduct might cause trouble. “ Early in January 116 tailoresses were ordered to make application to be underrated, or they would be discharged from their employment. Sixtythree complied with their employers orders, fifty-two of whom were panted permits ranging from IBs to 23s 6d (the minimum wage being 255) per week, and eleven were refused permits. Inxtythree members who considered themselves, and were known to be, thoroughly competent workers refused to make application, and fifty were looked out.

11 The union, considering those women were acting in the interests not only of their own union, but also of every unionist in New Zealand, and being further informed by the chairman of the Board of Conciliation that they could not get permits unless they considered themselves incompetents, decided to grant them financial support. Although we are doing all in our power to get the women int-o other employment, we are reluctantly compelled to appeal to you for such assistance as will enable us to tide over the difficulty. . . . This union has taken up an attitude of passive resistance to the attack the employers are making upon the award. We are prepared to stand loyally by the award, although it fixes a lower rate than we asked for, and would have done so under any circumstances. We cannot, however, submit without a protest to on outrageous attempt on the part of three of the manufacturers to wreck the award and starve a number of women workers into subjection.”

THE MINIMUM WAGE.

FACTORIES ACT AMENDMENT

WHAT THE EMPLOYERS SAY

The Otago Employers’ Association (retail section), dealing with the factories Act in its annual report, states: —“Your executive regrets to notice that an amendment was passed m the dying hours of the session to the r actories Act which practically fixes the minimum wago of females at 20s per week, irrespective of the kind or work or the competency of the worker. 1 his is opposed to the letter of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and the awards of the Arbitration Court. Under past conditions provision has always been made to meet the caso of a slow or inefficient worker by having her wage fixed by the chairman of the Conciliation Board, after inquiry. Under the new conditions an employer is compelled to pay her 20s per week or discharge her —ho has no alternative. The executive is of opinion that this arbitrary fixing cf a minimum wage is neither in the interests of the worker nor the employer. It is hoped that this matter will also be brought under the notice of Parliament, with a view to amendment.”

Speaking in regard to this question, the chairman of the association, Mr R. Chisholm, said that in spite of recommendations made in reference to the rate of pay to girls, they found that two sections of the measure had been drafted in such a manner that practically made the act? more unworkable than it was before. It would have been better left alone than as it stood at present. The result of these sections was that girls were being thrown out of work, as they were not able to take advantage of the clause giving the chairman of the Conciliation Board the power to fix a wage lower than the minimum prescribed by the act. The objectionable clauso fixing the wage of females at 20s was somewhat shorn of its objection by reason of an interpretation of it from the Crown law officers, to the effect that it meant “at the rate of.” He had been under the impression that the act meant that it did not matter at wh.it rate the girls 5 wages started. If it were 11s a week the employer had to go on increasing the wago at the rate of 3s annually, as prescribed by the act. That was not so. If they started a girl at 11s a week they would not be required to pay any advance for three years. That was the interpretation given. Dgwas still very unsatisfactory, however, because it fixed the minimum wage at 20s in many occupations in which it was impossible for any employer or manufacturer to pay such a rate unless the workers were skilled workers, which in many cases they were not.