WORK OF FIRE BRIGADES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21863, 17 August 1936, Page 6

WORK OF FIRE BRIGADES

__ ——_ FORTY-HOOK week not ORDERED application from CHRISTCHURCH Holding that firemen already work considerably less than 40 hours a weak, the Arpltratiqn Court has refused to make an order for the 40-hour week for fire brigades. The Wellington and Christchurch fire brigade employees had applied for a reduction to 40 of the weekly hours of work stipulated in their industrial agreements. Both applications were refused. Giving the judgment of the court, his Honour Mr Justice Page said these applications were somewhat unusual. The agreement covering Christchurch firemen fixed combined hours of work and drill during the summer months at 281 hours a Week, and in winter at 27| hours a week, in addition to these regular hours of work and drill, there was the casual work of attending fires. This averaged fewer than three hours a Week throughout the year, so that the maximum hours worked by firemen was less than S2 a week. Residing on Premises Obviously one of the essentials to the efficient working of a fire brigade was that the bngadesmert should be promptly and immediately available when alarm of fire was received. With this object in view, the system adopted in the chief Cities of New Zealand and in many other parts of the world was to require the brigadesinen. as a condition of their employment, to reside on or adjacent to the premises of the brigade. Suitable living quarters both for married and single brigadesinen were provided. So that the brigadesmen would be at once available, they were not allowed, except on their days off, to leave the brigade premises. Subject to this stipulation, they might when the day’s work and drill was finished, employ their time as they choose, Provision was made for their recreation. Thus at Christchurch, tennis, basketball, billiards, plaho music, and other similar facilities were available to them on the premises. Each brigades* man was given one full day’s holiday of 24 hours in every* live days, and on that day was free to go where he pleased. Should he, on his holiday, chance to be on the brigade premises when an alarm of fire was given, he was not required to turn out to it. Each man was given an annual holiday from 14 to 21 days. In the Wellington agreement the hours of work and drill were not Specified, but the hoUrs actually worked and the Conditions of employment appeared to be substantially similar to those prevailing in Christchurch. It appeared to be suggested on behalf of the brigadesmen, his Honour said, that, as they were liable to be called out at any tlfhe during the 24 hours in the event of an alarm of fire, their “hours of work” extend over the 24 hours. The court found Itself unable to adopt this view.