ABSENTEE PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 102, 1 May 1943, Page 6

ABSENTEE PROBLEM

AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE "Absenteeism is commonly misunderstood," remarks "Jobson's Digest." "Employees .hotly resent imputations against their loyalty when absenteeism is charged against them and feel that the morals of the case are —more often • than not—on their side The general public, on the other hand is frequently inclined to regard absenteeism as merely a refined form of striking." The journal discerns a tendency for absenteeism to increase unless well-informed and honest attempts are made to attack the fundamental causes." It observes that absenteeism of women workers is usually double that of men." There are many causes for absenteeism, but The main causes, as the "Digest" sees them, are (1) resentment., especially among young workers, to increases in taxation on extra money earned; (2) unwise official restrictions, especially among coal miners; (3) excessive hours of work; (4) accidents ;ind illness; (5) domestic difficulties, especially those of. married women; <(i) irresponsibility and high pay, with time off taken with the object of spending more money received than ever before, in the form of inflated war wages. Remedial measures suggested by the "Digest" are mitigation of fatigue with limitation of a 56-hour week strictly observed, for—politics aside —measures to reduce fatigue are sound steps towards the solution of the real problem Special measures should also be taken to reduce accidents and to give instruction U> nev employees on the risks of industrial employment. Child centres should be established for the children of workers. One week day a! month as special leave to transact family business "has much to recommend it." Government policy towards the causes of absenteeism is "badly in need of revision," and the present ignorance (or worse) concerning taxation, which is doing so much to discourage maximum work, should be i "removed by propaganda or. even ■better, a.general simplification of the whole tax system—not by the clumsy propaganda of some Government department (consisting mostly of glorification of Ministers), but by the scientifically organised propaganda of those skilled in its uses." The removal from the waiting-room of the Netherlands Consulate in the D.I.C. building of a number of magazines and pamphlets dealing with Dutch life and customs has caused some concern to the officers of the Consulate, who believe that the publications were taken by someone under the misapprehension that they were meant to be distributed to the public. Though the intrinsic value of the material taken is small, the publications are irreplaceable now, and the Consulate would greatly appreciate their return.