FIVE DAY WEEK

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24868, 7 May 1946, Page 4

FIVE DAY WEEK

RAILWAY STAFF APPLICATIONS

TRIBUNAL’S DECISION

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 6. The decision of the Railways Tribunal on the application of staff organisations for a 40-hour five-day week was announced to-day. It provides that the- ordinary hours of duty a week for employees shall be not more than five shifts of not more than eight hours a shift, Sunday excluded, or, where more than eight hours ordinary time a shift may be worked under existing conditions of employment, the ordinary hours shall not exceed 40 a week, to be worked in not more than five shifts,' Sunday excluded.

Where an employee having actually been on duty for five shifts is called upon to be on duty for another shift in the same week he shall be paid in addition to his salary or guaranteed weekly wage at rate and a half for four hours and double rate thereafter. The minimum payment for any employee required to be on duty for a sixth shift is to be for four hours at rate and a half. This minimum payment does not apply to employees in the maintenance, signal and electrical branches, who work less than four hours on the sixth shift in order to visit their homes, or to any tablet porter who works less than four hours on the sixth shift before being relieved by another employee or when taking up duty after having been so relieved. The order does not apply to employees whose conditions are governed by an industrial agreement or award or to special call-out duty unless the employee has already been on duty for five ordinary shifts in the same week. The order is not to conflict with orders Nos. 21 and 54 previously issued. “VERY ACCEPTABLE” (PA..) WELLINGTON, May 6. “The establishment of the principle of a five-day week for our members is very acceptable,” said Mr J. S. Roscoe, National Secretary of the .'Railway Officers* Institute, commenting on the Government Railways Tribunal’s order, which takes effect from May 15. “We hope the fact that it has been established will encourage the recruitment of staff, and allow us to h-.ve in fact a five-day week. We realise that in the transport industry we cannot have a Monday to Friday week, but must accept a staggered working week. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to the time when we will be able to enjoy a five-day 40-hour week, in preference to the payment of nenal rates for workers on the sixth day.”