ABSENCE FROM WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 9, 11 January 1941, Page 11

ABSENCE FROM WORK

FACTORY EMPLOYEES

MINISTER'S SURVEY

While deprecating the action of factory workers who absented themselves from essential work without good cause, the Minister of Supply (Mr. Sullivan) said last night that he was satisfied from inquiries he had made that such absence from work was "not a disease/ It had been serious in some cases but scarcely apparent' in others, and it appeared that where there was cooperation and good will between employers and employees the trouble did not exist. "While it is a matter for serious regret that a number,of factory employees, including, unfortunately, some who- are engaged on .military work, have .not taken a morq serious view of their responsibility to ..the nation, I am pleased to 'say that by far the greatest majority . have : returned to work on the due date," said the Minister. "To those loyal workers who returned to the workshops arid factories at the appointed time I express my thanks, and. to those who for various reasons have absented themselves I wish again to point out that' they are doing their industry and New Zealand a serious disservice. "A lost hour and a lost day can never be made up. It is gone for ever. The great majority of our workers are as loyal to the nation and the Empire, and are as anxious to help the war effort as the workers in any other part of the.Empire. WELLINGTON FACTORIES. "I have had inquiries made in ten large factories in Wellington. The percentage of absentees on January 6 varied greatly in the different factories. One factory reported that 40 per cent, of its employees were absent, and another had only 3 per cent. away. Some factories reported that the position was much better than last year, others that it was worse. "In Auckland there have been no complaints from the factories from which I made inquiries; indeed,, one factory had only one absentee out of a staff of 300. It has also been- 'reported in the Press, that 99 per cent, of the employees of the Colonial Ammunition Company were back at work on the dv£e date.' In Christehurch -one large firm employing nearly 400 hands had only 13 absentees. Another firm in Christchurch had 42 per cent, of absentees. In Dunedin there were no complaints. One large firm had nO absentees, and another 0.5 per cent", another 0.6 per cent—this latter from a staff of 800. I mention these figures to show that absenteeism is not a disease affecting every factory worker in New Zealand. The figures prove that in many instances there have been practically none who did not report for work at the normal time. In ■ other-cases' there have been large numbers absent There must be a -reason ..for this;- great disparity. . "Unfortunately it. would seem that. the- relationship between employers and employees, in individual factories sometimes enters into matters of this kind. In the course of my inquiries I have found that in one factory employing a large number of. women and girls the average ' absentee rate is about 3.7 per cent. The management of that particular factory makes a special point -of co-operating with the staff, considering their welfare, and obtaining their good will. Its premises are spotlessly clean, free: medical attention is provided, there is an excellent cafeteria, a bonus is paid on production, and continuous work guaranteed. ■ '! . DIFFICULT TO ASSESS. "The manager of another factory in a recent letter states: 'It is very difficult to give statistical reasons.for the spirit of loyalty and co-operation that we believe exists in this firm today, but we as employers are extremely proud of our entire staff, and the writer sincerely believes that monetary surpluses and profits will look.after themselves if we. look after our employees and treat them as humans and our equals.' "Admittedly the conditions obtaining in these two large factories are exceptional but they are. not troubled with the question of irregular attendance," the. Minister continued. "In both instances the principles of good will and understanding are in practice to a considerable degree, and the question naturally arises as to whether the human relationships in other types of manufacturing establishments would not be improved under similar management and control. , ♦1 Hold no brief for the man or wo-j man who wilfully and without' adequate reason absents himself or. herself from work, thus reducing production, and probably holding up the production of others.. At the same time, I would strongly urge that there should be a greater spirit of co-opera-tion between employer and employee. "The two factories I have referred to (and I could mention others) ha ire demonstrated that a human relationship can be set up in factories by means of which each person engaged T>ulls his or her weight with benefit to; all concerned. lam sure that wh.at can be achieved in isolated cases e,an be extended generally throughout industry if the correct approach is made to all problems involved." ;