SEVEN-DAY WEEK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1941, Page 7

SEVEN-DAY WEEK

BRITISH WAR FACTORIES

RECOMMENDED BY COMMITTEE

DAY'S REST FOR EMPLOYEES

(Rec. 1 p.m.) RUGBY, August 25. j A recommendation that the British war factories should work j seven days a week has been made by a sub-committee appointed by a Select Committee on national ex- i penditure. Work-people should, however, have one day's rest in seven, the committee stated, and it suggests that negotiations be conducted with the trade unions to make arrangements whereby a six-day week for work-people may be fitted into a seven-day week for

the factory, which should as far as possible employ its plant continuously. The desirability of the management taking the workers completely into their confidence is also emphasised. Interesting facts relating to the great increase in output immediately following the fall of France are given in the Committee's report,* which states that after that melancholy event working hours increased to as much as 72 per week, and resulted in "a remarkable increase in output." At the end of a few weeks the output dropped and the hours became shorter. The Committee reports that a 60-hour week is still worked. by some factories, and recommends that the Industrial Health Research Board should consider the question of "the best length of the working week for a wide range of different kinds of work."—B.O.W.