BUILDING INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 255, 24 July 1936, Page 2

BUILDING INDUSTRY

Employers Oppose 40-Hour Week MANY RELATED TRADES CONCERNED A large number of workers’ representatives appeared in the Arbitration Court yesterday in support of the application to amend the various building trades awards so as to fix the hours of work at 40 a week. Among the trades concerned were bricklaying, carpenterilia, painting, plumbing, plastering and electrical work. For the employers Mr. W, J. Mountjoy opposed the application, and further applied for an extension of hours to 44 a week.

Mr. F, D, Coynwell, representing Wellington tradesmen, said the object of the legislation was to restore to employment some of the hundreds of artisans now unemployed, Laboursaving methods in building eonstrucr tion had not been nccompauied by reduction of hours. He submitted the time was not far distant when the hours of work in the building industry would be 36 a week, as was the case in the United States. The trade union movement in that country claimed that some million of workers had found employment as a result of shorter hours. The building industry was not hampered by continuous processes or by the existence of expensive plants. It was disappointing, he said, to find a section of the employers opposing tlio application while the remainder were agreeable to the 4Q-hour week. The number of registered unemployed in each branch of the building industry were quoted by Mr. Cornwell, the total amounting to 886, In addition, there were in Wellington alone 300 unemployed who had not registered. A considerable amount of evidence was taken in order to show the extent of unemployment in the industry. Several witnesses denied that the Hawke’s Bay earthquake of 1931 had affected the employment of bricklayers, as the replacement of lime in mortar by cement had overcome any prejudice against brick construction. The witnesses were: 11. Hanton, representing Wellington bricklayers; J. E. Jones, Canterbury bricklayers; J. G. Kennedy, Auckland carpenters; H. Thompson, Wellington plumbers; J. Moulton, New Zealand carpenters and joiners. Mr, Moulton and Sir. P- M. Bdtler, of Wellington, addressed the court. The former said the building trade wet Id suffer no interruption with reduced working hours. The workers were paid by the hour, some even by the fraction of an hour, and in many cases the hours worked wore less than *4O owipg to wet weather and shortage of material. The 40-hour week was a condition of the building subsidy granted by the late unemployment board. The union of carpenters had /many times met with failure in their efforts to introduce shorter hours, but one success had been the inclusion in the carpenters and joiners’ award of a voluntary provision for a five-day week. Mr. Butler called Miss M. Howard, secretpry of the Canterbury General Labourers’ Association, who testified to the stimulation of the industry resulting from the building subsidy., One employer, she stated, had engaged 50 more men. Employers’ Case. Representing the master builders, plasterers’ associations, plaster manu facturers and the New Zealand Electrical Federation, ftlr. W, J. Mountjoy said the employers contended a reduction of hours would seriously increase the costs of the building industry. The wages bill would be increased by 20 per cent, when the reversion to 1931 rates was included. Transport and handling of timber, and the cost of planing and re-sawing; hardware, gravel for concrete, bricks and all other materials would cost more. Cases were known of persons deciding against building owing to the prospect 'of greater cost. Master builders were also concerned, said Mr. Mountjoy, lest workmen should be encouraged to take private work during their leisure hours. That would destroy the benefit of shorter hours.

Manufacturers of fibrous plaster were concerned at the possibility of increased prices opening the door to imported materials. The estimate of increased costs over the whole of the plastering industry as a result of increased wages and reduced hours was 38} per cent The employers were particularly that the right to work without the payment of overtime pn Saturday morning should not be disturbed. To prevent workmen from making up lost time would be no benefit, Mr. D. I. McDonald represented the master painters and plumbers engaged as sub-contractors in the building industry. lie said these employers were particularly desirous of the retention of Saturday morning work even in the event of shorter hours.

Replying on behalf of the northern plasterers, Mr. J. Piiß ( tell said a fiveday week had been worked for ten years. The price of plaster was now so low that a rise would do no harm. His Honour intimated that the court would require time .-to consider tbe case.

HANDLING OF PERISHABLE GOODS Fruit and Produce Storemen The hearing of the New Zealand Storemen and Packers’ Union’s application for an amendment of the award so as to fix the hours of work at 40 a week was resumed in the Arbitration Court yesterday. Mr. Justice Page heard the ease, with him Mr. W. Cecil Prime (employers' assessor) aud Mp. A. L. Monteith (workers’ assessor). Mr. W. E. Anderson, secretary of the zVqckJand JSmpjoyers’ Association, appeared for the employers, and Mr. J. Herbert, secretary of tpe Storemen and Packers’ Federation, for the workers. Mr. Anderson said fie would first oppose the application on behalf of the fruit and produce merchants of the Dominion, with the exception of Auckland. Tbe employers wished to retain the present working week of 44 hours, although the warehouses were actually opeii for a much longer period. The goods handled were perishable, including fruit, vegetables, eggs mid poultry Fruit and vegetables arrived from both overseas and local suppliers at all hours, and had to be dealt with immediately on arrival. For the reconditioning of fruit, inexperienced casual labour was unsatisfactory. The greatest difficulty would be ex-

perienced if Saturday woyk were abolished. If the North Island auctions were not held on Saturday mornings the South Island growers could not ship fruit later than Thursdays, This would restrict picking operations to three days a week. In the stoneYruif season, auctions were held #ll day pp Saturdays in Palmerston North, and'in Dunedin in the evening also. * Two witnesses represented tjie merchants and two the growers. They were Mr. A. Jacobs, president of the New Zealand Fruit and Produce Auctioneers Importers’ Association; Mr, A. W. Press, managing-director, Thompson Brothers, Ijmited; Mr- F- G- K°l > ' ertson, director of Market Gardeners, Limited; Mr. J, H. Parker, assistant manager of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation. For the workers, Mr. Herbert paid he thought additional labour would enable the employers tq carjy on efficiently on a 40-hotir week. In evidence, Mr. J. Tucker, secretary of the Wellington Storemen and Packers’ Uniop, said the workers were agreeable to work op Saturdays in certain months whop perishable goods were handled. This offer did not paver produce generally. Mr, Anfiersop said the suggestion to divide the warehouses into two departments in that way was not practicable. Decision was reserved. 44-HOUR WEEK GRANTED Manufacture of Lime Employees engaged in the manufacture of lime are to work 44 hours a week, except that with respect to carbonate of lime the working hours in the slack half of the year will be 40 a week. The judgment of the Arbitration Court, delivered by Mr, Justice Page, states that the employers manufacturing burnt lime, used in industry, asked for a 44hour week throughout the year, and those engaged in the manufacture of carbonate .of lime or sheU lime, for agricultural purposes, agreed to work a 40-hour week during the slack season of six months, bu{ asked for a 44-hour week (luring the num seasom The hours worked at present varied from 56 a week in shift work to 48 a week on day work. The manufacture of agricultural lime was largely seasonal, from 75 to 80 per cent, of the output being manufactured in the bpsy six months. In tjiat season the manufacture was a continuous process in ivhiclj furnaces and machinery were active day and night each day of the week. The manufacture of burnt lime was also # continuous process. The judgment continues: "Keen competition exists in this industry aud many of the factories are experiencing some, difficulty in carrying on. Some are handicapped by the limits of time during which they may use at payable rates tne electrical power for their crushing machines. Saturday work is essential to the efficient manufacture of both classes of lime. The court is of opinion, after a careful review of the whole of the evidence, that it would bo impracticable to carry on this industry efficiently on a 40hour week.”— . In the case of cqrhoiiatq of liffie pr oDell lime the will be required to notify the inspector of awards, before commencing tbe 44-hour week, the sismonthly period selected. Shift workers'in |ime factories may b? worked eight hours without an interval for a meal, with tly? understanding that all workers shall, as in the past, have their meal at a convenient time during the shift. Work on Saturdays will be permitted. The order will come into force on September 1. 1936, and continue in force for one year. At the hearing, Mr. P. Butler nnd Mr J. Roberts appeared for the workers, and Mr. W, E. Amjerson for the employers. GENERAL LABOURERS Christchurch and Timanj Agree on 40-Hotjr Week Reserving the right to ask eortajn concessions, Mr. A. L. Galbraith. Christchurch city engineer, agreed in the Arbitration Court yesterday to a 40-hour week for general labourers. Mr. Galbraith said he represented the Tjmaru Borough Council as well as the Christchurch City Council. The concessions desired were in respect of labourers working in the water supply departments. While he was willing to confer with the workers’ representative, Mr. P. M. Butler, on that aspect, he was not in a position to conclude anything on his own initiative. His Honour, Mr. Justice Page, said the best course would be to adjourn the ease to enable the parties to fix the details.