40-HOUR WEEK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 219, 28 June 1947, Page 5

40-HOUR WEEK

INTRODUCTION IN N.S.W. WIDESPREAD UNREST (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Unrest in the major industries Avill greet the introduction of the 40-hour Aveek in NeAV South Wales on Tuesday. Gas employees, some of whom are under federal awards and so outside the scope of the State Act, are demanding a general 40-liour week. A meeting at Leichhardt Stadium to-day will discuss the matter and decide Avliat action should he taken. Serious industrial trouble among raihvay traffic employees and porters is threatened over the insistence of the department that some employees must work a 40-hour Aveek in 12 shifts per fortnight. The Australian Railways Union is insisting that the 40-liour week must he worked in five days, even if this involves overtime, so that the principle of the five-day week Avill he established. A rank and file move by sections of the traffic staff and porters for a strike from midnight on Sunday Avill he opposed by union officials at meetings of about 1000 employees tonight. It is understood that drastic alternative proposals Avill be submitted to the meetings. The police force is also discontented because of the official announcement that owing to staff shortages the new hours cannot apply throughout the service for the present. Members of the Australian Railways Union lvlio have been refused a fiveday working Aveek under the 40-liour Act Avill ban overtime from midnight on Sunday. This ivas decided yesterday at a meeting of the parcels office staff, carriage cleaning staff and female porters. The meetings rejected the proposal by some sections to strike from midnight on Sunday. It was'decided that unless a general fiveday Aveek for railwaymen Avas granted within a fortnight a stop-AVork meeting should he called to consider direct action.