On Wednesday there was another move on a much larger
scale than that of the Gorton. workers in the same hopeful direction of reducing wages. The building trade unions decided to recommend for acceptance a scheme for wage regu- lations based on the Yost of living. The hopefulness lies not so much in the decision itself as in the arguments by which it was reached. It was pointed out that the cost of production must somehow be brought down if the building trade was to carry on. The decision entails a reduction of id. per hour for each 6.5 fall hi the Cost of Living Index Figure. Adjust- ments would be made every six months. Calculations are to be made from a basis of 170 per cent. above the pre-war level. As the Index Figure has fallen to 151 the builders therefore voted for an immediate decrease of lid. per hour in wages.
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