CLOTHING TRADE
SHORTAGE OF FEMALE LABOUR AWARD WAGES EXCEEDED (Special ro Daii/v Times) AUCKLAND, Aug. 22. So' acute has become the scarcity of female labour in the clothing industry that girls are being offered as high as £3 5s a week, which is 15s more than the award rate to act as machinists. Advertisements have actually appeared offering employment to machinists at £3 5s a week, and girls have also been offered 25s a week to start as apprentices, although the award starting rate is 17s 6d. It is stated in the trade that the ability to pay the higher rates apparently depends on the particular conditions existing in certain factories, and the result of the wage competition i? that girls are leaving factories for others under the lure of higher remuneration. In several other industries in Auckland many girls are receiving above award wages, and in some cases adult women without experience have been engaged at £2 a week, which is 4s above the basic wage. In the footwear industry, where there is an acute scarcity of girls to meet production needs some girls are receiving more than the award wages. It is estimated that 300 machinists are employed, but at least 100 more could readily be absorbed.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 23894, 23 August 1939, Page 17
Word Count
209CLOTHING TRADE Otago Daily Times, Issue 23894, 23 August 1939, Page 17
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