HIGH EARNINGS AT ROXBURGH

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28013, 6 July 1956, Page 13

HIGH EARNINGS AT ROXBURGH

TRADESMEN MAKE £3B A M EEK RESULT OF INTENSIFIED PROGRAMME “The Press” Special Service DUNEDIN July 5. Since the intensified programme of ' work began at the Roxburgh hydro- . electric works fortnightly pay packets | of more than £BO have not been uncommon among the contractors* labour force. But to earn them the men are working long hours. “We do little else but work, eat and sleep these days.” said one. On a project on which plenty of i overtime has always been earned, the biggest wages in Roxburgh’s short history are being paid. With the object of completing the project to the stage where the lake can be filled and the first two generators can produce power, the Ministry of Works drew up a new schedule of work for the contractors. To stimulate the Labour force to the greatest possible effort, bonuses were i offered to mon who worked long hours j and played their part in accelerating I the rate of construction. The result is I that since the new programme opened | on June 5 almost every man has been working 80 hours a week. Each week tradesmen are earning £3B and labourers are collecting more than £32. This includes overtime rates and a bonus to every man who works all shifts offered to him. In addition every man will receive a lump sum of about £4O when the lake is full. This payment will have been earned as the employees’ share of profits for every day the lake-filling stage arrives ahead of the target date. By the time the lake is full the men will have been working their 80-hour weeks for more than six weeks. Some although not unhappy about the wages, feel they could not work as many hours for much longer.