TRAMWAY WORKERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 60, 11 March 1944, Page 6

TRAMWAY WORKERS

SIX-DAY WEEK SCHEME

TO OPERATE TO-MORROW Commencing to-morrow, members of the traffic staff of the Auckland Transport Board will work six full days every week. These working hours replace the previous arrangement whereby the tramway employees worked five days in two consecutive weeks and six in the third.

Commenting on the innovation yesterday, Mr. A. E. Ford, engineer and manager of the board, said that, although it would not be necessary to cancel runs on account of shortage of crews, he feared the strain, before long, would prove too severe. A few of the men who were already past the retiring age felt they could not stand up to the longer hours.

The secretary of the Tramways' Union, Mr. E. A. Whitlow, stated this morning that the introduction of the six-day week on a regular basis within the terms of 'the Tramway Modification Order had been unanimously agreed to by largely attended meetings of the workers. The basis of the 40-hour week, he said, was safeguarded, the six day not being part of the prescribed working week. Having accepted the terms of the order, the workers were bound by their contract to work under the conditions outlined and not prejudice themselves by any irresponsible absenteesim.