SHORTER WEEK

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21867, 21 August 1936, Page 10

SHORTER WEEK

EFFECT ON SHOPPING HOURS

DECISION NOT REACHED

Although' it is less than a 'fdartnight to September 1, when the shorter working week provisions of the Shops and Offices Act into force, Christchurch retailers have not yet been able to- determine what adjustment of shopping hours may be necessary to meet the new conditions. In the past a 48hour week has been observed for workers in shops, but the act provides for a 44-hour week.

Applications for a 40-hour week in grocers’ shops and butchers’ shops have been dealt with by tha Arbitration Court, which has determined that the 44-hour week gfc*lj apply there. Other retail shops ana still uncertain what working hours will apply to them, for the courts judgment in the general retail shop assistants’ application for a 40-hour week has not yet been delivered. If the application is unsuccessful, and the 44-hour week applies to them as to grocers and butchers, all classes of retail shops will be placed on a similar basis in organising their hours.

Filial Meetings The grocers and the butchers could at the present stage each reach a decision about shopping hours, because they know what basis of working hours they hare to go upon. However, the iinal meetings of employers in each group have been deferred pending knowledge of what conditions will be faced by other shops. As soon as the court’s decision is announced a general meeting of ail retail groups is being held, and it is probable that final decisions will come from this or from subsequent group meetings.

The shorter working week of employees will not necessarily entail a considerable curtailment of shopping hours. It may be found possible, especially in larger shops, so to adjust staff arrangements that * much the same shopping hours as at present are observed.