FIVE-DAY WEEK

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 84, 6 October 1936, Page 12

FIVE-DAY WEEK

THE SHOPPING HUSH

CIRCULAR TO UNIONS

EARLIER PAY-DAY

The Wellington Trades and Labour Council has decided to circularise its affiliated unions asking their members to endeavour to make their weekend purchases of goods before Saturday.

The object of this movement is the establishment of a more universal fiveday week and the Saturday morning closing of shops. It is felt that if shopping is done before Saturday and that once the habit is acquired by a large section of the community the need will not be present for shops to remain open on Saturday mornings and that this will pave the way towards more people than at present enjoying a two days' break at the end of the week.

It is realised that wrapped up in this question to some extent is an alteration in the pay-day, a matter which was dealt with last week by the Petone Borough Council and which has been discussed also in other circles.

The paying of wages on . a Friday, it is felt, is responsible to a very large extent for the present end-of-the-week shopping rush, and the view of those supporting a more universal five-day week is that it is necessary that this should be overcome if possible.

It is contended that the adoption of an earlier pay-day would be of benefit to shopkeepers and families, alike, in that trade and wages would be more evenly distributed over the week, and, moreover, that in some cases housewives would be more certain of getting sufficient money to buy the necessaries for the home instead of the money being diverted into other channels. Unions of workers lately in submitting their claims •in conciliation council for new awards have not neglected this question. In at least.three cases —there are possibly others—an earlier pay-day than Friday has been suggested and the parties have been able to agree on the proposition that it should not be later than Thursday in each week. • ■ • It was pointed out today to a trade union official who was discussing the matter that an earlier day than Thursday, namely, Tuesday, had been suggested as the pay-day. In reply he said that in the industrial disputes with which he had been associated lately some day earlier than Friday had been sought on behalf of the workers. Not later than Thursday had been suggested, and this had been agreed to, the actual day of payment thereby being left open to the employers. , ...