U.K. WORK FORCE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30005, 14 December 1962, Page 13

U.K. WORK FORCE

Bulk Affected By New Bill (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, Dec. 12. The British Governmemt today published a “workers' charter” which will affect the bulk of Britain's work force. Called the Employment Bill it covers contracts and collective agreements for almost the whole field of employment. The bill is part of the Government's plans to give workers of all kinds improved status and greater security. It will apply to full-time employees, whether in industry, shops, offices or elsewhere.

An employer, in his written statement on the terms of employment, will have to set out conditions of pay, hours of work, nights to notice, holidays and holiday pay, sickness and sick pay and pensions. Employers must do this within five weeks of the bill coming into force. The bill also lays down rules for dealing with the effects of industrial disputes. One possibly controversial clause says an employee will break his continuous employment and forfeit his rights if he goes on strike without giving 14 days' notice.

The bill will not apply to dock workers, who have a special Dock Workers’ Act, to seamen employed under the Merchant Shipping Act, or to certain fishermen and Crown servants.