PRIVATE HOTEL EMPLOYEES’ AWARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23223, 22 June 1937, Page 7

PRIVATE HOTEL EMPLOYEES’ AWARD

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, —The annals of the Arbitration Court cannot, I am sure, record a more iniquitous award than the New Zealand private hotel employees’ award, which came into force a few months ago. The section of the award covering boarding house employees will- it is certain, force many who have depended on providing for boarders as a means of livelihood to close down owing to the prohibitive terms of the award regarding the employment of domestic help This outrageous award stipulates that, in the case of boarding houses with five or more boarders, the payment of a general domestic shall be 41s per week, with an eight-hour day and a five and a-half day week besides which she receives her keep and sleeping accommodation. Added to this is a number of other costly restrictions. What can be a more impossible situation for anyone who keeps five to 10 boarders and finds it necessary to employ domestic assistance? The position is simply that the mistress becomes the drudge while the domestic has ample leisure and lakes the small profit that remains after the payment of expenses. Domestic work unavoidably entails tong hours for seven days a week, and some improvement in the conditions of the domestic worker was no doubt in order, but the drastic shortening of the domestic’s hours and the more than doubling of the average rates of pay are out of all reason and in most cases, quite out of keeping with the services rendered This means that, as the work has to be done by someone, the unfortunate employer has to extend her own hours of labour to make up for the shortened hours and time oft enjoyed by her assistant, and creates quite an impossible situation. This is only another instance of what we have to put up with under the rule of Labour. Justice

and a fair deal are things of the past. People generally, particularly those who by thrift and self-denial have saved a pittance, arc bcinn robbed systematically by rising costs and unjust laws to keep in luxury those who denied themselves nothing and had a good time while their money lasted, and made no attempt to provide for a rainy day. If the terms of this award are enforced, it means the loss of a living for many, as it will be impossible for those in this position to carry on in the circumstances.—l am. etc... T. E. B.

[While the wages are fixed by award of the Arbitration Court, the hours of work are fixed by the Shops and Offices Act.—Ed.. 0.D.T.1