LABOURERS' CLAIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 286, 2 December 1936, Page 10

LABOURERS' CLAIMS.

BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS.

HOURS OF WORK DISCUSSED.

Discussion of conditions of employment for builders' and contractors' labourers, a further section of the Auckland General Labourers' Union, was held in conciliation council to-day before the commissioner, Mr. R. E. Price. The whole of the morning sitting was occupied in a consideration of hours of work.

In recognition of the fact that where labourers were engaged on the same job as carpenters and other building tradesmen such general conditions as hours of work should be similar, the case of builders' labourers was considered separately. Both sides agreed on the principle of the 40-hour five-day week for these men, but a stumbling block was met in the employers' request that whatever men were necessary should be allowed to begin work up to half an hour before the ordinary starting time to prepare materials for the day's work.

For workers employed on road and bridge contracts the employers proposed that the ordinary hours should not exceed 80 in each fortnight. This arrangement was planned to enable time lost through wet weather to be made up.

Stating that they wished to preserve the principle of the 40-hour week, the union's assessors objected to the 80-hour fortnight suggestion, but said they were prepared to provide for the making up of lost time in the case of road contract work.

Further consideration of the hours of work and discussion on the other claims was deferred until this afternoon.