LABOUR CONTROL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 86, 22 January 1942, Page 2

LABOUR CONTROL

THE ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES. CHRISTCHURCH APPOINTMENT (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 21. Mr L. H. R. Read, of the National Service Department, Christchurch, has been appointed District Manpower Officer under the recently gazetted National Service Emergency Regulations. The principal work involved in MiRead’s appointment is the controlling of the distribution of labour into essential industries. Under the regulations, no worker can leave employment in an industry declared to be essential, and no worker’s employment in such an industry can be terminated without the consent of the district manpower officef, and seven days’ notice of intention to take such a step must be given. All appeals under the regulations are to be made to the district manpower officer, and it is only when his decision is considered wrong that an appeal can be made to a committee. Such a committee has not yet been appointed in Christchurch. In the first place, the appeals were to have gone before the existing manpower committee, but owing to the pressure of work of that committee at the present time, a new committee was set up. The main conditions laid down under the regulations are: An employer may not terminate the employment of any worker (except in the case of grave misconduct) without the consent in writing of the district manpower officer.

No worker in an essential industry can terminate his employment without the consent of, and after, giving seven days’ notice to, the district manpower officer.

If the grounds oi dismissal are considered by the district manpower officer to be insufficient, he may require any worker to he reinstated. Under the regulations workers are also required to do any work of which they are capable during any period in which they are not engaged on their normal work. In such cases workers must receive not less than their normal wages. If a worker is required to transfer to work at a higHer rate of pay, he must receive the higher rate. Absence from work without reasonable excuse, persistent lateness, failure to work diligently, failure to exercise proper skill and care, are offences against the regulations. Appeals to the district manpower committee against the decisions of the district manpower officer may be made but they must be lodged within seven days of the decisions. ' / All essential industries are issued with a certificate, and the certificate has to be displayed where it can be read by the workers.