FIREMEN'S HOURS

Evening Post, Issue 30, 4 August 1936, Page 7

FIREMEN'S HOURS

REDUCTION CLAIMED

OPPOSITION HEARD

When employees of the Wellington and Christchurch Fire Boards applied to the Arbitration Court.yesterday for amendments to their awards to provide for a 40-hour week," the applications were opposed on the' grounds that the actual hours of work were below 30 per week, and ihat'a continuous service with men'S'oh/caU" was essential. The applications'were supported by Mr. A. W.-* Croskery,. Mr. D. I. Macdonald, secretary of-tile Canterbury Employers* Association, appeared for the flee boards." ' '• Mr. Macdonald submitted that as the weekly hours of work and'drill were fixed at well below 40, there was no need for the applications."-The continuous duty system in fire.'stations. which had been in operation."in New Zealand since 1900, ,-was^'obviously , necessary if the firemen were" to meet the calls that might be made upba them at any time. The fire boards provided a public service, and their operations were designed to make that service continuous. At a recent conference of fire-board superintendents the system had been endorsed and it had been agreed that in order to justify the cost of erecting new-quar-ters for staffs, it should be continued for at least twenty, years. Mr.; Macdonald submitted that th« Court should not consider any reduction in the hours of duty of firemen, as they were not engaged in an industrial or commercial calling. • Conditions had been negotiated between the fire boards^and their employees to provide for a satisfactory and efficient fire service, and the granting ot the applications of the unions .would disturb that efficient service. The introduction of a shift system would increase the wages costs of each of th« boards by over £30,000. In addition the whole of the quarters constructed for the continuous system would be wasted.

Mr. Macdonald said that it would be shown by evidence that the'actual hours of work in . the' stations were approximately 27 per week; and that work at fires did not average'three hours per week; making a total'of 39 hours. It was admitted that the mcii had to^be on call, but they received compensation through special holiday privileges. *

_Mr: Macdonald called 'Mr." C. C Warner, superintendent of the Christchurch Fire Brigade and senior fire brigade superintendent in New Zealand, who said that conditions in fire stations in New Zealand were-better than in- many countries overseas and could not be improved by a shift system. , • ' .

Mr. Croskery submitted that the men's hours were actually 24 hours per day. Fire brigade work naturally called for conditions different from those in any other class of employment; but the men were paid by ,the week and were at the employer's disposal while on duty. In the' Wellington award there were no flours !«! work and in the Christchurch agreement the only hours mentioned we're the hours of drill. That did not remove the men from duty and ! their hours of duty were their weekly hours of work. Decision was reserved. <