UNNECESSARY CONCERN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 20, 25 January 1939, Page 12

UNNECESSARY CONCERN.

WORKERS' DELAYED WAGES. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, this day. Thirty men engaged by the Public Works Department in work on the Supreme Court building at Whangarei were concerned yesterday regarding the apparent withholding of wages which they considered to be justly due. Since the job commenced it has been customary for the men to be paid fortnightly. They were informed yesterday, however, that on Friday they would be given only one week's wages, which would carry them up to week ending January if. This morning. however, workers received a pleasant surprise when they received payment for a week's work, with the promise that their earnings would be brought up to date next week with the distribution of a full fortnight's pay. Mr. R. H. Paekwood, district engineer, is absent from Whangarei to-day and. it is difficult to obtain an explanation of the position. However, it is understood that an attempt is being made to bring all Public Works Department pay I periods within the district into uniformity.

It was suggested in Auckland this morning that the position in Whangarei is similar to that existing in Auckland, and is due to the Christmas holiday period. The men are paid on a fortnightly basis, but as various "jobs" are scattered over wide areas of country the men cannot all be paid on the same date. This is recognised in the agreement with the New Zealand Workers' Union, which allows a period of eight working days in which payment can be made after the "measure-up." That period can be extended to meet emergencies.

Prior to Christmas, 'in order to pay the men before the holidays, the ordinary routine was broken and in the Auckland district 2000 men were paid inside a two-day period. A thousand miles had to be covered to do this and every clerk in the accountant's branch of the Auckland office was engaged on the work. In order to return to the routine again a short' payment is now being made for the days worked over the Christmas period, and with the next pay the ordinary 10-day period pay will be resumed. The short pay varies according to the time the men have been working during the period covered.