The Cine Technician (1953-1956)

April 1956 CINE TECHNICIAN 51 CINE TECHNICIAN EDITORIAL THE COST OF LIVING " '"TURNIPS are out but frozen -* peas are in " is a very apt summary of the new Index of Retail Prices familiarly known as the Cost of Living Index. At last we have an index which realistically faces the overall needs and tastes of the majority of the working population. It is particularly important to Unions like A.C.T. whose membership much more accurately represents a genuine cross-section of the people of this country than those who, under the old index, depended at least to some extent for their sustenance on turnips and equivalent unpalatable but cheap foods. But this does not mean cant that less emphasis is placed on food than heretofore and greater emphasis on the other items in the normal household budget. The previous index confined itself to working-class households, the present one includes both small and medium salary earners, and indeed with certain exceptions is claimed to be representative of nearly nine-tenths of all households in the United Kingdom. But this point, while obviously desirable, does mean that, in reflecting a much larger proportion of higher income levels than before, the index gives greater weight to a number of items than would be and fully representative. But when it comes to basic needs upon which many salary and wage claims are calculated it is well known that the television set and washing-machine whilst obviously desirable and welcome are not the sort of necessity upon which a householder founds his budget. In other words, in time of stress, which is what many a trade union has to argue on, the extras have to be forgotten and on the basic necessities the new index will clearly show less fluctuation. A.C.T. in its negotiations has always advanced changes in the cost of living as one reason why its members should receive in HOW PRICES HAVE RISEN 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 JANUARY — 104 109 113 117 132 138 140 146 153/100* FEBRUARY . — 106 109 113 118 133 139 140 146 100* MARCH — 106 109 113 119 133 140 141 146 APRIL ... — 108 109 114 121 135 141 142 147 MAY — 108 111 114 124 135 140 141 147 JUNE ... 100 110 111 114 125 138 141 142 150 JULY 101 108 111 114 126 138 141 145 150 AUGUST 100 108 111 113 127 137 140 144 149 SEPTEMBER . 101 108 112 114 128 136 140 143 150 OCTOBER 101 108 112 115 129 138 140 144 152 NOVEMBER . 103 109 112 116 129 138 140 145 154 DECEMBER . 104 109 113 116 * New 130 Index 138 140 145 154 that the new index is necessarily perfect. In its search for a much more balanced approach it may very well have gone too far the other way. And if, for example, at some not too distant date the cost of food continues to rise whereas the price of television sets and second-hand cars falls no one will convince A.C.T. members or anybody else that the cost of living is thereby balanced. A great deal depends upon the weight, or relative importance of each item to the total, given to individual items in the new index and, comparing the present index with the previous one, it is signifi the case had it been confined strictly to industrial wage earners. For example, rabbits disappear from the Food Group, owing partly no doubt to myxamiatosis, but rump steak, halibut and boiling fowls are in. In the Alcohol Section most spirits are now included; in the Durable Household Goods Section dining room suites, television sets and washing machines, have been added; in the Clothing Section nylons replace rayon stockings and made-to-measure suits are included. Naturally, all these additions can be justified on the basis of making the index comprehensive creases but it has never made this the exclusive reason, nor has it accepted official indices as irrefutable yardsticks. This approach is just as valid with the new index as with previous ones. We shall welcome the upward adjustments which our members in Shorts, Newsreels and Laboratories receive as a result of rises in the index but in these Sections of our membership, as in the case of those members who are in no way tied to a Government Index, we must continue to argue each case on its merits using the new Index only as a guide and not as a fixed standard which determines the beall and end-all of all salary claims.