MANPOWER POSITION

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 99, 21 January 1942, Page 8

MANPOWER POSITION

Minister Clarifies Points In Regulations ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES A clarification of the manpower position arising out of the declaration of certain industries as essential to the war effort was made yesterday 'by the .Minister of National Service. Mr. Semple. He re-emphasized that the declaration of an industry as essential in no way affected the military obligations of the persons engaged in it. When kev workers were called up postponements would still have to be sought—through the existing appeal procedure to appeal boards and manpower comm it tees. "The lists now gazetted are not finai, and important additions may be ex]>ected soon,” said the Minister, “but they represent a fairly wide initial coverage of work of major importance in various fields. Developments in the Pacific have made reliance on our own efforts in war production necessary, and consequently our industrial ‘front line’ must be preserved intact. Mobilisation for home defence has -added further difficulties in obtaining sufficient skilled labour for essential industries. "It is imperative that every person in front-line industry should stick to his or her post, and so conserve the labour force most immediately and substantially concerned with urgent war production and necessary civilian needs. “Regulation 9 of the National -Service Emergency Regulations, 1940, is automatically binding on each undertaking in those industries declared as a whole. No worker, male or female, and no employer coming within this class may terminate engagement without the prior consent in writing of a district manpower officer at any -branch office of the State Placement Service. Full information concerning the main obligations imposed should be obtained from those officers by each employer affected. “The industries so covered pre butter and eheese factories registered under the Dairy Produce Regulations, 193 a, coal mining, linen flax mills, timber milling, electric power production and supply, the manufacture and supply ot coal gas, and public and private hospitals in respect of tradesmen permanently employed, cooks and kitchen hands, domestics and laundry employees and porters. Obligations Set Out. “In addition to these declared industries, present declarations also cover some 300 particular undertakings, each one specifically designated. Within the limits as to class of work and locality described in the declaration, these are equally 'bound by the provisions of Regulation 9. Certificates of declaration and notices setting out the main obligations imposed are being issued to the employers, who are, however, bound by the regulation irrespective of receipt of any certificate or notice. “The obligation rests on each undertaking to ascertain whether its name appears in the Gazette, and to secure copies of the -notice from the nearest district manpower officer. "In industries or undertakings declared to be essential, employment may not be terminated except with the prior consent in writing of a district manpower officer, who will advise and assist in every waysaid the Minister. ‘ The officer will, however, refuse permission only where termination of employment can be expected to have an adverse effect on war production or other essential work. While it is desirable to keep movements of labour at a minimum and give industries the greatest possible stability, it is not intended to stop al- - of labour in essential indus-

“Labour may continue to move freely into esserftial industries or undertakings but all labour in those industries or undertakings can move out only with the consent of a district manpower officer through whom the National Service Department will safeguard the public interest and protect the country s wai production,”