RATES FOR SHEARING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 219, 16 August 1937, Page 4

RATES FOR SHEARING

REPLY TO CRITICISM. , THE UNION’S VIEW. AUCKLAND, Aug. 14. The following reply has been made by Air A. Cook, general secretary of tho New Zealand Workers’ Union, to the recent criticism of the agreement fixing the rates of pay for shearers, by a meeting of the Feilding branch of the Farmers’ Union : “Such crticism is most unfair, docs more harm than good, and goes a long way toward creating had feeling between employer and employee,” Mr Cook said, “The agreement is not a new one. .It was made in 1936 between representatives of tho shcepowners’ and shearers’ unions, and is for a period of three years. The agreement provides for a sliding scale of wages based on the rise and fall of wool values, aiul is most fair to hotli employer and employee. It is only that section of employers who arc not prepared to grant to their workers a small share of their profits who are taking exception to the increased rates.

“The rate for shearers for the 193735 season of 34s per 100 is in no way excessive, in view of the fact that the Government Statistician’s index number for export prices of greasy wool, calculated for the twelve months ended June 30, 1936, was taken as equal to 1000. It was found that tho index number for the twelve months ended June 30, 1937. was 1700. ’This shows the ■wonderful increase received by the growers for their 1936-37 clip. “Strange to say, the Feilding branch of the farmers’.Union makes no mention of this. Jt omits to say that the growers received over £5,000,000 more for their 1936-37 clip than for tho 193536 clip. All it can say is that the shearers have no right to a small portion of the £5,000,000, as provided for under the sliding scale’agreement. “The average price per lb for greasy wool for tho past season was 153 d, and taking the average weight of each fleece at 81b, tho grower receives 10s 6d a fleece. The shearer, this season, is to receive 34s a 100, a fraction over 4d per sheep, leaving the farmer a lialanee, on tho past season’s wool prices, of 10s 2d for each fleece shorn. “J desire to say that farmers in Feilding or elsewhere who consider tho shearer is being overpaid at 34s a 100 in face of tho above facts are of tho kind who arc never prepared to extend a. fair deal to their employees. It is they who are responsible for a shortage" of farm labour. During the past--18 months tho farmers of New Zealand have received splendid prices for wool, beef, mutton and lamb, and the prices are almost sure to remain steady for some considerable time to conic.”