LOOPHOLE PERMITS 42½-HOUR WEEK

Evening Star, Issue 22684, 25 June 1937, Page 1

LOOPHOLE PERMITS 42½-HOUR WEEK

VIGOROUS PROTEST BY WORKERS “ THE MEANEST THINS "■ [Pee United Pkess Association.] WELLINGTON, June 24. A vigorous protest against the proposal to enable the men to be employed in the preparation of material half an hour before the normal starting time at the ordinary rate of pay was made by the workers’ assessors in the Dominion builders, contractors, and general labourers’ dispute, the hearing of which was commenced before Mr S. Ritchie, conciliation commissioner, today. The parties had previously agreed to the following clause:—“ Except where otherwise specified, a week's work shall not exceed 40 hours of eight hours a day, to be worked from Monday to Friday inclusive.” When the question of the preparation of material arose the Commissioner said it seemed that, despite the main clause restricting the hours to 40, labourers might bo worked 42] hours without overtime. “ I think it is the meanest thing I over heard of in my life,” declared Mr P. M. Butler, the workers’ assessors’ agent. “ I am sure my opinion is shared not only by my colleagues, but by some of those on the other side of the table.’

The commissioner pointed out that the words “ except where otherwise specified ” in the main hours clause made all the difference.

Mr Butler proposed that where men wore preparing material their hours should not exceed eight a day.

Mr A. Fletcher (Wellington), employers’ assessor; I will not agree to that. Mr Butler; I knew you would not. Further discussion was deferred.