FIVE-DAY WEEK DEMANDED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21940, 14 November 1936, Page 14

FIVE-DAY WEEK DEMANDED

WOOL AND GRAIN STORE WORKERS STATEMENT BY UNION SECRETARY (prrss associatioh tblsgram.) WELLINGTON, November 13. A statement that with the exception of the Nelson district, workers in the wool, grain, and hide stores throughout the Dominion intended to begin the observance of a five-day week as from to-morrow, and that there would be no work done in. stores to-morrow morning, was made to-day by the secretary of the union, Mr J. Tucker. He indicated that this state of affairs would continue until extra remuneration was offered for work done on Saturday. Mr Tucker said that if the 44-hour week as claimed by the employers was to be enforced, without extra pay at a reasonable and fair rate for the four hours on Saturday, the workers concerned would be denied the same privileges as were enjoyed by their fellow workers. One section of workers working 44 hours and another 40 hours a week must breed discontent and dissatisfaction. Invited to comment on Mr Tucker’s statement, Mr A. E. Mabin, president of the New Zealand Wool Brokers’ Association, said the workers knew as well as anyone that wool sales could not be carried on on the basis of a five-day week. It such a course were followed the whole transport situation would become congested. Farmers would be hampered in trucking wool for the reason that delay in- unloading wool at the stores would prevent them from having empty trucks returned immediately for further loads. Apart from the railways, which would be very seriously affected, if there were a 40-hour week in operation in the wool stores the work of harbour boards, shipping companies, and other concerns handling wool, would be hampered. Hides concerned had to be dealt with immediately they were received from the abattoirs. Hides from beasts killed early on Saturday morning had to be dealt with right away, for they would be rotten if left until Monday before treatment.