Clerical Workers’ Conditions “Poor”

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31042, 23 April 1966, Page 18

Clerical Workers’ Conditions “Poor”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 22

The International Federation of Commercial, Clerical and Technical Employees will support efforts by New Zealand clerical unions to obtain greater security of employment and longer holidays for non-manual workers.

The federation's general secretary, Mr E. Kissell, said in Wellington today that he had been appalled to learn that in New Zealand nonmanual workers could be dismissed at one week’s notice and without any stated reason. In this regard, New Zealand was lagging a long way behind Sweden, Austria, West Germany, and Switzerland, where laws governing dismissal were extremely favourable to workers. In these countries the usual period of notice of dismissal for non-manual workers in the first year of employment was six weeks.

The notice period grew with the number of years of service till it reached a maximum of six months after 15 years.

In every case of dismissal, the employer had to state a reason, which the appropriate union had to approve.

Mr Kissel said he intended to send the Clerical Workers' Union full details of these laws and similar laws operating in such countries as France and Italy. He would also give the union advice on how to go about seeking a change in the New Zealand law.

Mr Kissel said he was also concerned that New Zealand non-manual workers generally enjoyed only two weeks’ annual holiday in addition to statutory holidays. In the United States, nonmanual workers were already receiving up to three months’ annual holidays. Mr Kissell is visiting New Zealand at the invitaiton of the Clerical Workers’ Union. He is based in Geneva. The New Zealand Union’s secretary, Mr D. G. Nolan, said he welcomed Mr Kissell’s advice.