I.L.O. CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 63, 11 September 1937, Page 15

1.L.0. CONFERENCE

40-HOUR WEEK

ACTION OUTLINED

Aii-interesting outline of the activities of the International Labour Organisation conference at Geneva, to which he was a delegate, was given to Wellington members of Toe H by Mr. R. McKeen, M.P. for Wellington South, recently. Mr. McKeen dealt particularly with the action being regarding the 40-hour week, and the work now necessary.

In opening his address, Mr. McKeen explained why the 1.L.0. had come into being and explained how it operated. One of the important items dealt with, he said, was the 40-hour •week. The 1935 session of the conference was in favour, of the reduction of the hours of work, and adopted by 79 votes to 30 a general draft convention approving the 40-hour week, but there was to be no lowering of the workers' standard of living by reducing wages.

By this draft convention each State ratifying it undertook to adopt suitable measures to carry out its provisions, and to ap"ply the principle of the 40----hour week to different industries according to the separate conventions it had ratified.

The first of the separate conventions ■was adopted in 1935 and related to the glass bottle industry. The sheet glass industry was already covered by a convention based on similar principles.

"The conference I attended," said Mr. McKeen, "was to deal with the application of the 40-hour week to five additional industries. Technical experts from each of the leading countries were in attendance, and the special committee on which they sat prepared drafts on the basic research reports submitted to the International Labour Office. Only one of the drafts, providing for a 40-hour week on public works, was adopted by the conference. It was necessary to secure a twor thirds majority of the votes to carry the adoption of any draft. "For the proposed building and civil engineering convention, there were 71 votes for and 42 against; for the iron and steel draft there were 66 votes for and 40 against; for the coal mines draft, 66 for and 37 against. Not securing the two-thirds majority, these all failed. It was decided, however, to submit the question of the 40-hour week in these industries to special technical conferences for further consideration."

In conclusion, Mr. McKeen said that he was convinced that the work done by the 1.L.0. during the last ten years had done more to foster mutual understanding among nations than the League of Nations, and also wielded a greater power for peace throughout the world.