HOURS OF WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22960, 11 February 1938, Page 14

HOURS OF WORK

STORES' EMPLOYEES TERMS OF AWARD DEPARTMENT'S EXPLANATION fllY TKLKGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Thursday The Department of Labour states that its attention has been drawn to a press report of a Trades Hall meeting held to discuss tho Wool, Grain, Hido and, Manure Stores' Employees' Award that was recently made by the Arbitration Court. Tho department says there appears to be some misunderstanding on the part of tho workers covered by this award regarding the effect of the Government's 1936 legislation. To clarify the position, the department explains that the Shops and Offices Act and tho Factories Act do not apply to workers covered by this award and one must refer to tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1936, to determine whether tho Government's legislation has been contravened. Section 21 of this Act provides that A?here, by ft Court order, tho maximum number of hours i to be worked in- any week (as fixed by I an award or an agreement in force at tho time of tha passing of the Amend- I ment Act) is reduced, any rates ot : pay fixed in the award or agreement shall, if necessary, be increased, either directly by tho Court or indirectly by the operation of the order, so that tho ordinary rate of weekly wages ot any worker hound by tho award or agreement shall not be reduced by reason ot a reduction made in the number ot his working hours. It should bo noted that this provision applies only in respect to awards and agreements" in force on the passing ot tho Amendment Act. Since the passing of tho legislation, two awards have been made in this industry the first, which was dated May 3, 1937, fixing a 44-hour week, which had been agreed upon by tho parties in the Conciliation Council. In respect of such awards, there is nothing in the legislation .to prevent the Court from reducing wages if 1 having regard to all tho circumstances, it thinks it equitable to do so. In the award recently made the principle of the 40-hour, five-day week lias, in effect, been conceded to the workers and, although four hours on Saturday arc at the ordinary rates, they may, when the new award is being sought, ask in the Conciliation Council or before the Court for this rate to be increased to the ordinary overtime rate.