APPRENTICES’ WAGES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17954, 5 December 1932, Page 4

APPRENTICES’ WAGES

ORDERS FOR REDUCTION THIRTEEN FIRMS AFFECTED A reduction in the wages oi' appient.ee.s employed by 13 Auckland urns was made by Mr. E. C.. Cutten, S.M., Mho delivered a reserved decision on a j.jint implication made by the employers. Toe magistrate said that tho employers, representing different trades, had made application fur a variation ni the terms of the apprenticeship contnu ts, 63 apprentices being affected. Previously orders bad been made in other cases reducing the rate of wages by 20 per cent, where the apprenticeship Cona'act had been entered into prior to (lie 10 per cent, wage reduction made oy ihe Arbitration Court, and by oneninth where tho contracts were made later.

Ad the employers except one, and all the apprentices were agreable to -this reduction. One firm had asked that it should have tho right to stand down its apprentices one week in four in addition to the wage reduction, a proposal which had been opposed by the apprentices on the ground that it would make an invidious distinction among employees and would give the firm an advantage over its competitors.

“1 am impressed with these objections and I do not think the benefits to bo derived by making separate orders would be commensurate with the disadvantages,” said the magistrate, who made orders in every case reducing wages 20 per cent, where the contract was made prior to June 8, 1931, and by one-ninth in other cases.