GROCERY TRADE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20680, 19 March 1937, Page 15

GROCERY TRADE

ASSISTANTS SEEK NEW AWARD CONTENTIONS OF PARTIES By Telegraph—Pres? Association INVERCARGILL, March 18. A five day 40-hour working week, wages commensurate with the service given and two weeks annual holidaj’ on full pay were some of the points sought by the Southland Grocers Assistants Union in its application to the Arbitration Court for a new award heard by the court to-day. The hearing of the dispute between the union and the employers created considerable interest, as it had been suggested that the Southland dispute should be made the basis of a New Zealand award. After healing the case the court said It would take time to consider its decision. Dealing with the question of wages, Mr T. O. Bishop, of Wellington, on behalf of the employers, said there was a difference of opinion between the employers and th- union on two points, (a) the amount of wages, and (b) whether the schedule should be based o age only or on age and experience combined. He submitted that the commencing wage for juniors and the final rate for seniors should be fixed at the standard rates paid in 1931. An increase on those rates would be justifiable only if (1) there had been an alteration of the duties to be performed by the workers with perhaps, added responsibility, or (2) there had been an increase in the cost of living above the 1931 level. Neither of these conditions obtained, said Mr Bishop. On th? contrary, the work of a grocers’ assistant was becoming less skilled because of the trade practice of packing more and more goods in containers r ady to be handed to the customer and requiring no weighing or other preparation, and the cost of living though there had been an increase in recent months, was still below the level of 1931. The employers asked for the retention of the former award provision of an annual holiday of one week for assistants and also that the seme provision apply to branch store managers.

In reply, Mr J. Robinson, of Wellington, agent for the union, submitted that the obligation was on the employers to prove that they could not carry on efficiently with a 40-hour week. No evidence had been produced on the point.. Referring to wages, he said that the court had to be consistent, seeing that it fixed the basic wage and had departed from its policy of adhering to the standard rates of pay of 1931. He contended that chain store managers would not be getting too much if they were paid £25 a week for the work they were expected to do. He referred to a certain agreement, and declared that the principals of some stores had acted as tyrants towards their managers. In conclusion, he asked that the award be not made the basis for a New Z aland award until e"idence was heard in other parts of New Zealand.