WET-WEATHER WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 18, 19 October 1936, Page 8

WET-WEATHER WORK

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—lt would be appreciated if you could advise the exact position regarding the question of wet-weather work on Public Works Department jobs.

In clause 2 (b) of the Public Works Workers' Agreement, 1936, provision is made for making up time lost through wet weather by a majority vote of the men concerned. At present, should the-day be-wet, a:.voteasrtakfin<

by the men to decide whether they shall cease work. No power is vested in the man in charge ■of the job to order the men to stop work on account of adverse weather, although he has power to request the men to work in rain under certain conditions. The majority vote is binding on all workers on the job. This procedure is most unsatisfactory to men who are strong supporters of the 40-hour week, and who are prepared to work irrespective of the weather, (unless it is quite impossible), in order to enjoy the benefits of no Saturday work, which, after all, Sir, is the object of the 40-hour week, and this object is definitely stated in the Act. Furthermore, it frequently happens thati while inclement weather may prevail when it is time to commence work, in two or three hours favourable working conditions occur, and it is galling to be required to lose four or six hours when one could be working and then have to make it up at a time when one should and could be enjoying the benefits of a free Saturday morning. Again, as happened recently, one job voted to "carry on" when somewhat adverse conditions prevailed, while on an adjacent job one section voted "cease work," and another section some two miles distant decided to "carry on." This was most unsatisfactory to men who wanted t r work, but who were not permitted to do so because other members of the section did not want to carry on. The point is that while there is a definite instruction in the agreement that a vote must be taken regarding making up lost time owing to wet weather, and that' the result of the vote is binding on all members of the party, there is nothing to say that a vote shall be taken to decide whether the men shall work or not. Therefore, is it not permissible for those m<m who wish to work in wet weather to do so, leaving those who object to wetweather work to make up their lost time according to the agreement? Why should men who are prepared to work —perhaps at some discomfort for the time being—be prevented 'from doing so? Then, again, the weather on Saturday morning may not be suitable for working, and so one is prevented from obtaining a full pay envelope. While a day's pay may not greatly affect some, it does materially affect the average married man who has a family and is prepared to work to support them. Can you, Sir, ascertain the exact position and obtain some authoritative ruling on this matter?—l am, etc., A. W. WORKER. [The following comment was made officially on the questions raised in the letter:— Considerably more men on public works are employed under the cooperative contract system than on daywork. In nearly every instance each co-operative contract party decides for itself whether the weather is too wet for work, but as they are paid by results (output) they usually get in as much time as possible on every working day. If, however, the officer in charge of a work , found. that a co-operative contract party was not taking full advantage of fine weather he would draw the attention of the headman to this and point out that the earnings of the party would be found to be low at theend of the pay period. On nearly every work the officer-in-charge or other responsible officer decides whether daywages men should cease work owing to rain, but he would not order them to stop work for the day and return to camp or their homes if he considered there was a reasonable likelihood of the weather clearing. On a few works, which are mostly near towns and on which extensive plant is not required and has therefore not been installed, the workmen are allowed to decide whether- a whole day or part; of a day is too wet for work>- and a majority vote is binding on all of them, including co-operative contractors.] '