FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 225, 19 June 1936, Page 12

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Workers in Shops and Offices RIGHT OF APPLICATION What appears to be a misconception about the application of the 40-hour week Io workers in shops and Offices was cleared up yesterday by the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong. He made it. clear that all workers registered under awards had the right Io apply for the 40-hour week, irrespective of legislative stipulations. It was pointed out Io Mr. Armstrong that the general interpretation of the Shops and Offices Amendment Act was that workers under that Act. could not secure anything less I Inin a I l-hour week, 'rhe Minister said that lids was a misconception. Workers registered under any award covered by the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration legislation were entitled to apply, when making new award demands, for the 40-hour week.

"When I stipulated a -11-hour week In the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, it was to make sure that. I here would be some statutory reduction,” he said’. "The working week under the existing legislation for those workers was 48 hours; the Bill made sure that they would secure a reduction of four hours. There is no appeal beyond that figure. They cannot be made to work longer hours by the court. But they can still apply for even shorter hours, and if they make new demands they can now apply to the court, for the 40hour week.” “JUST PLAIN SILLY” Opposition at Geneva to Forty-hour Week MANUFACTURERS’ VIEW "It is just, plain silly." was the comment. made by Mr. A. E. Mander, secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, last night in expressing an opinion on Ihe reported attitude of Mr. A. C. Mitchell, the New Zealand representative at the International Labour Conference at Geneva on the 40-hour week proposal. Mr. Mitchell attacked the 40-hour proposal ns threatening serious repercussions iu New Zealand, which, owing to the vulnerability of her extensive export trade, was less able than any other country in the world to introduce the drastic experiment of mandatorily maintaining the rate of pay previously earned in a 44-hour week. The passing of such a proposal iu law, he said, would send “God's own country” at top speed to the devil, an unenviable experience which be hoped she would be spared. “Here,” said Mr. Mander. “is New Zealand herself committed to the principle of a 40-hour week, and the ono thing we most need is that other conn-' tries shall now come into line with us, making the 40-hour week universal so that we can all compete on the same level. Yet in the face of that we find that the New Zealand delegate is actually opposing a move which would remove the competitive disadvantage al which New Zealand industries have been placed.”