OVERTIME THAMES AIRMAN KILLED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 302, 22 December 1941, Page 6

OVERTIME

THAMES AIRMAN KILLED

WAR REGULATIONS

HOLIDAYS SUSPENSION

PROVISIONS EXPLAINED

"This group of r.egulations is a short step in the direction of easing award conditions," said Mr. W. E. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association to-day, when explaining a set of four regulations dealing with holidays and their suspension, which came into operation last week. "What we really want now," he added, "is a general extension of the ordinary hours of work, from 40 to 44 or 48 a week, in all industries, at ordinary rates of pay, for the duration of the war."

The Overtime and Holiday Labour Legislation Suspension Order applied to all industries, Mr. Anderson said. He had been advised that it was not limited to those industries such as munitions manufacturing and wool-

Mr. W. E. Anderson len mills, to which special orders had been applied in respect to overtime provisions. Where overtime under an award was computed on a daily basis—that was, time and a half for the first three or four hours, and double time thereafter—no alteration had been made. In the case of awards such as those applying to storemen and packers, for instance, where overtime was computed on a weekly basis, and overtime was paid for work in excess of four hours in any one week, the regulation extended the principle of overtime hours which could be worked at time and a half. In cas£s where the present weekly limit was four hours, the extension was made to 16 hours, and where the present weekly limit was three hours, the extension was to 12 hours. Treble Time Abolished The regulation also provided that workers who were entitled to payment for statutory holidays should receive such payment, but, if they were required to work on statutory holidays they received one additional payment (instead of two additional payments as in the past). That meant that a worker employed on a statutory holiday would receive double and not, as heretofore, treble time. Where the provisions of the Factories Act had been modified in respect to payment of holidays, as in the case of power-generating fac--tories, gas plants, dairy factories and the like, the position had not been disturbed. The Holidays Labour Legislation Modification Order applied to all industries coming within the scope of the Labour Legislation Emergency Regulations, 1940," and applied to all industries, Mr. Anderson explained. He had. been advised that its intention was merely to curtail holidays in essential industries, and would not be strictly enforced in non-essential industries. The regulation provided that all holidays coming due in all industries could be postponed for six months, or, alternatively, the worker could be employed on the holidays and paid at ordinary rates, in addition to his holiday pay. It also provided that where holidays were granted during the Christmas and New Zealand period the holiday should commence not later than Christmas Day, December 25, and terminate not later than January 4, work being resumed on January 5. If any balance of holidays was left in hand, .it had to be paid for or postponed for six months, according to terms of the regulation. Shops Overtime Extended The Shops Laboilr Legislation Suspension Order applied to all shops, Mr. Anderson said. It extended the overtime limit from 60 to 120 hours per annum, and allowed work, such as the making up of orders, to be done during overtime hours. The delivery of goods, like the sale of goods, must as previously be confined within the ordinary hours, as prescribed by the Act or award.

The Factory Industries Labour Legislation Suspension Order was also explained by Mr. Anderson. He said that at present the Factories Act prohibited women and boys, in factories, and all persons in laundries, from being employed on holidays or half-holidays. ,

The order empowered the Minister of Labour, when satisfied that such employment was essential for the carrying on of any factory or industry, to authorise the employr ment of women and boys in factories, and of persons in laundries, on holidays and half-holidays, subject to special conditions. An employer wishing tq take advantage of this new provision had to mdke application to the Minister through the Department of Labour.

ACCIDENT IN CANADA

Advice that their son, Leading-Air-craftman Alexander C. Willis, has been killed in a flying accident in Canada, has been received bv Mr. and Mrs. S. Willis, of Karaka 'Road, Thames. Born in Thames, LeadingAircraftman Willis was educated .at the Central and Thames High Schools. He left. New .Zealand in August to complete training in Canada. He was a keen swimmer and also played hockey. A brother is serving in the Royal Navy.