Submission on night work for women

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33541, 23 May 1974, Page 5

Submission on night work for women

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. The abolition of restrictions on night work for tvomen has been strongly recommended by the Employers’ Federation in submissions to the Parliamentary Select Committee on women’s rights.

This would remove a major ground for sex dis-1 I crimination in employment and would eliminate an obstacle to improved productivity,,the federation said. “The traditional protectionism in women’s favour is incompatible with emerging concepts of equal pay and opportunity,” the federation added. “Conditions of employment for men and women workers should be able to be brought into line without regard to sex, so that women can have equal earning opportunities to work overtime, accept shift work, and undertake work of their own choice. “This is a protection which is neither needed nor wanted, and its elimination would assist industry to. use female workers more flexibly.” The restriction, contained in the Factories Act. 1946, was in line with the Night Work (Women) Convention No. 89 of the International Labour Organisation. “In our opinion, this con-1 vention should either be; substantially rewritten or,; alternatively, be denounced! by New Zealand.” the feder-l ation said. The federation said theattainment of equality forj all persons within New Zea-1

land society would depend on the efforts of more than ’women alone. “There is a need for a coordinated programme on a community-wide basis aimed at eliminating all forms of i discrimination,” the submissions said.