DAIRY FACTORY WORKERS INCREASE IN WAGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25241, 2 June 1943, Page 3

DAIRY FACTORY WORKERS

INCREASE IN WAGES

A flat increase in wages of 6s 6d per week has been decided upon by the Arbitration Court in making a new award for New Zealand dairy factory employees. In a memorandum to the award Mr Justice Tyndall po.nts out that the usual minimum weekly rate prescribed in awards for male adult factory workers who are called upon to work a 40-hour week is £4 10s, increased by the court's two general orders. “ Over the year,” he adds, “ dairy factory workers on the whole are required to work in excess of 40 hours per week. The minimum weekly rate prescribed for the lowest grade of male adult dairy factory worker has been the same as that prescribed for general factory workers whose hours are limited to 40 per week. The income of the dairy factory worker has, however, usually been augmented by extra payments in respect of Sunday work, etc. While the principal classes of dairy factory workers work varying periods in excess of 40 hours per week, and while there is a special clause in the award allowing workers in butter and cheese factories to cease work as soon as their daily task is completed to the satisfaction of the manager, or other controlling officer, we feel that some additional monetary recognition should be awarded in respect of the extra hours worked in excess of 40. A flat increase of 6s 6d per week has been decided upon. Such extra hours worked in excess of 40 per week have been given special recognition in a number of other awards during recent years." The memorandum points out that, as the application for the hearing of the dispute was filed before December 15, the terms of the Economic Stabilisation Emergency Regulations do not apply. In accordance with the agreement of the parties, wages have been made payable retrospectively.' The workers’ representative, Mr A. L. Monteith, in a dissenting opinion, states that, for the hours worked, adult workers on the base rates fixed by the award are the lowest paid in New Zealand. In order to bring them up to the rate awarded to other factory employees for the hours worked, at least another penny an hour should be awarded to them. The * employers’ representative, Mr W. Cecil Prime, also records an opiniop in which he states that the rates of pay and conditions in the industry were thoroughly revised in 1937, and no change had taken place in the conditions of work. The dissatisfaction alleged to exist in certain quarters—partly owing to the fact that the industry had been declared essential, but mainly, no doubt, owing to a knowledge of high earnings in some other industries due to the exigencies of war work—was not sufficient to justify a radical departure from rates which had three times been solemnly adopted by the court or accepted by the parties. To allow an 'award to be made, however, lie bad refrained from recording formal dissent. Among alterations incorporated in the award are a provision that all time worked in excess of 10 hours in one day shall be paid for at overtime rates, and that workers employed on all shifts shall be paid Is per shift extra. Workers who have to pull presses after their ordinary day’s work is finished shall be paid 3d per press per day. The press-pulling shall be limited to two pulls after the ordinary day’s work is-finished, but there shall be no limit as to the time of the last pull.