FOOTWEAR FACTORIES OVERSEAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23428, 17 February 1938, Page 12

FOOTWEAR FACTORIES OVERSEAS

COMPETITION FROM LOW-WAGE COUNTRIES The operatives in our New Zealand footwear factories have companions in misfortune overseas. This is pointed out in a statement issued by the Manufacturers’ Federation, which says: “ Our footwear employees have in past months suffered short lime and a thin pay envelope, while some have-missed the envelope altogether. They know that one of the major causes of this is the sale in New Zealand of shoes imported from countries with wages, long hours, and conditions in no way as high as those surrounding employment in New Zealand In America the employees of one of the finest factories in the country recently found themselves on a three-day week through lack of orders. The factory missed one order of a third of a million dollars, the contract going to a foreign bidder. In another contract of nearly half a million dollars it was again beaten by a foreign firm The workers in that factory are the employees of a firm noted for high wages, short working hours, profit sharing, and a feeling of responsibility for the worker. After taxes and a moderate dividend of a fixed amount arc paid, surplus profits are divided half and half with the employees. The firm has built thousands of homos of individual design and sold them at cost and a 3 per cent, interest charge to the employees. There may be American manufacturers working 54, 58, or even 60 hours a week who can compete with the foreign workers' low standard of living, but not a company with such high wages and excellent working conditions as the above. The workers, recognising the grave thi'eat to. possibly, their job. and. at least, to their wages, conditions and standard of living clubbed together and paid for a full-page advertisement in the daily press pointing out the trouble looming ahead. They stated that European countries that are eager to rehabilitate their foreign trade are making it a matter of patriotism for employees to work for lower wages and longer hours in order that their manufacturers may provide them with employment by underselling factories overseas The workers in New Zealand are just as anxious to safeguard their wages. 40-hour week, and working conditions against the levels overseas as were the American footwear workers when they published their advertisement in protest.”