The Tailors' Union and the Kaiapoi Factory.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6841, 1 May 1890, Page 4

The Tailors' Union and the Kaiapoi Factory.

The following letter has been forwarded to the Secretary of the Tailors' Union by the Secretary of the Kaiapoi Factory, in accordance with instructions from the Board of Directors :— " Your favour of April 25 is duly to hand, and in replying thereto we take the three Clauses 1, 2 and 5 of your previous letter in order. With respect to Clause 1, the table system and direct supervision. We submit that this is an ordinary dttail oP factory management, the results of which are much in the interest of the apprentices, who aro by this plan taught in a more direct form the various Btsges of tbe tailoresses' business, whereby they become competent hands, and able to take the ordinary work at advanced wages in a much shorter time than by the method proposed in your letters, namely, to hand •over to the piece workers the custody and tuition of beginners. We doubt if piece workers would accept this proposal even if they were permanent hands, but as thoir employment is dependent upon the stabe of trade and other causes, the supervision of the apprentices would be continually changing, and the piece workerß would not have that interest in their progress as is evinced by the present 'Heads of Tables,' who have been specially chosen on account of their experience and adaptation to the training of beginners. We also submit that if the Company adhere to your Union rules as to the number of apprentices to be taken, in proportion to the workers, your Union hag no right to direct in what _}____„ ct by what means, their trade shall be baught tbem. Clause 2, Pressors — • We have to consider the injury we Bhould be doing to a number of worthy men, who, having no other trade or calling to follow, are at present engaged at seam pressing at such rates as are satisfactory to themselves, of which by a personal interview we have satisfied ourselves. We may also state that experienced pressors cannot be obtained in this district who can earn the wages paid by the log (50s per week), as the minimum to be paid for this class of work. We are, however, willing to pay all our improvers on piecework at log rates, so that they may be paid by results, if the Union will suspend the rule to the effect * that all such men must serve three years before being entitled to piecework.' We are also quite prepared to pay full log rates to competent pressers if the Union can furnish a number of Buch to replace bhe fifteen improvers now working at the Factory, who must be discharged to 3omply with your Union conditions, -lause 5. Sewing on buttons — Ac promised by our previous letter, co soon as the button hands were sufficiently skilled, log rates will be paid. Thia will take effect from. May 1."