WAGE INCREASES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26200, 10 July 1946, Page 6

WAGE INCREASES

CLOTHING TRADE WORKERS AGREEMENT OF EMPLOYERS (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 9. Complete agreement between the employers and the unions in the New Zealand Federated Clothing Trades was reported to the Arbitration Court to-day. Both parties appeared to justify under the Stabilisation Regulations the increased wages provided in the agreement. Mr W. E. Anderson appeared for the employers and Mr J. Roberts, of Christchurch, for the employees. The increased wages agreed upon range from 2s 6d to 7s for juveniles and up to 10s for male pressers.

For 30 years, New Zealand clothing manufacturers had argued that they were unable to concede higher wages and improved conditions because of competition from low-wage countries, but as the result of Government import control they were no longer faced with this competition, Mr Roberts said. The war had given a tremendous impetus to the trade, but because of the comparatively low wages paid, manufacturers had failed to attract workers. The result had been an acute shortage of labour, a serious matter for a country almost entirely dependent on locally-made clothing. “ We are asking the court to approve increased wages, which will bring the workers in the clothing trades on a par with employees in less essential undertakings,” Mr Roberts concluded. Decision was reserved.