HOLIDAYS BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 203, 29 August 1939, Page 10

HOLIDAYS BILL.

NOT THIS SESSION?

WORKERS DISAPPOINTED.

GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION.

Disappointment is being expressed in trade union circles in Auckland concerning advice that it is not the intention of the Government to introduce tha proposed Holidays With Pay Bill in Parliament this session. Tt is understood that intimation of the plan to postpone consideration of the measure owing to more pressing business has been communicated to tlie workers through the agency of the Auckland district council of the Federation of Labour.

The bill, which was to have been sponsored in Parliament by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, provided for the introduction of a scheme of universal annual holidays on full pay. It was hailed with delight by unionists generally, for many of them at present lose time and wages during vacation periods. The main feature of the scheme was that "all workers employed for hire or reward shall receive two weeks' annual holiday on full pay, with a proportionate holiday where the employment is for one week or more."

When the provisions of the bill were first outlined unionists undisguisedly expressed their jubilation at its provisions, for in quite a number of instatices existing awards provide less than two weeks' holiday, and in pome cases no paid holidays at all, not even statutory holidays. On the other hand employers, while agreeing with the principle of the scheme, pointed to it as another measure which would inevitably result in increasing the cost of living.

"Ye*', we are grumbling at the advice that the bill is not to be proceeded with this session,'' said an official of one union, whose members lose wages even on statutory holidays, this morning. "However, we are not taking any action in the matter in the meantime. Our members had visions of enjoying the coming Christmas vacation without having to stint and scrape to find the wherewithal to carry them over what has always been a lean period in the past. It would appear, however, that their jubilation was premature, and for another year at least they will have to suffer the inconvenience and financial embarrassment of an enforced holiday period."'

"When the bill was circulated the employers were more or less prepared for the increase in costs that would be involved bv the payment of workers for holidays, a' I the workers themselves were living in hopes of being able to enjoy their first paid holidays at the end of the present year," was another comment. "At Christmas time in the pa*t factories have closed down, and this has been lost time and no holiday at all from the workers' point nf view."