FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25802, 24 March 1945, Page 8

FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY

DEARTH OF OPERATIVES LITTLE IMPROVEMENT UNTIL AFTER WAR (Special) WELLINGTON, Mar. 23. Man-power, or the lack of it, continued to give the New Zealand footwear manufacturing industry cause for grave concern, said the president, Mr E. R. Norman, at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Footwear Manufacturers’ Federation at Wellington. He could see little improvement possible until after the end of the war in Europe. "Our difficulties in obtaining and retaining sufficient skilled operatives, both male and female, have been severe enough throughout the war period,” Mr Norman said, “ but during the last few months, in common with other industries, footwear manufacturers have suffered as a result of the drive for women for nursing and certain other essential occupations and for fit men for the armed forces. The national staff of the industry at the beginning of this year showed a deterioration of about 275 persons as compared with December, 1942. Apart from movements and defections in staffing in the industry was the fact tflat such replacements as there were were usually untrained or “green” to the industry, Mr Norman pointed out. “This is a matter just as serious, if not more serious, than the labour shortage itself, and will probably continue to cause some difficulty even after events overseas have made possible the release of man-power from the services. In the meantime, I can suggest no means whereby the industry can obtain an early solution of its Labour problems, and I regret that I consider that we shall have to await the termination of the European conflict before we may expect any great relief.” , Mr Norman said that relations between workers and employers in the industry had continued to be amicable and satisfactory, and footwear manufacturers had been free from many of the serious labour troubles besetting some other industries. He stressed that manufacturers would have to pay close attention to the general working conditions of apprentices in the industry. “ Careful attention to this matter may,” he said, “assist us materially in dealing with our post-war problems.”