INDUSTRIAL QUESTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 April 1937, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL QUESTIONS

ANZAC DAY HOLIDAY EMPLOYEES’ ULTIMATUM [per press association.] AUCKLAND, April 28. The 'female employees of R. Greer ’and Son, Ltd., clothing manufacturers, Auckland, who 'work under one’ of tiie awards in. the clothing industry which prescribes that when Anzac Day falls on a Sunday, a holiday will he observed on the Monday following. have intimated that unless ‘holiday rates of pay are paid in respect of the work they performed on Monday, they will cease work until I such payment is made. ■ In common with other Auckland clothing manufacturers, R. Greer and Son, Ltd., did not close its factory on .Monday, apparently holding the opinion shared by most employers affected by the awards, that the Court of Arbitration had no power to fix I the of Anzac Day on any other dav than that prescribed by the Anzac Day Act and its Amendment, which fix April 25. Friday is pay day throughout the industry, so that not until then can. it be definitely said that the employers, will not pay holiday rates for tile work performed last Monday, although it was authoritatively stated last week that many employers proposed to pay the rates prescribed for an ordinary working day, and to face a prosecution by the Labour Department for a breach of the award.

DAIRY FACTORY EMPLOYEES. , { AUCKLAND, April 28. An intimation that the Labour Department proposed to prosecute in all cases of failure to nay holiday wages to employees eligible for such payment under the Dairy Factories Employees’ award was given by Mr W. Slaughter, officer in charge of the Lahaur Department in Auckland. “I "wish not only to repeat the warning I gave previously, but to state that the Taranaki case referred to as apparently determining the attitude nf employers has 1 no application to tne Auckland award,” said Mr Slaughter. “The Auckland award provides for an annual holiday. If this holiday is not given to any worker who is.-entitled to it under the award, the matter should immediately be reported to a responsible officer of the department nearest to the factory concerned. . Mr Slaughter said he had been in communication with the head office of the department in Wellington, and it was in agreement, with the attitude he had taken. Mr Slaughter’s statement of the department’s policy is the‘ ° & published statement that the dairy factories in Auckland did not intend, to - pay wages for holidays, until their liability under the award was mad clear.

BRICKLAYERS’ DISPUTE. WELLINGTON, April 28 The hearing of the Dominion Bricklivprs’ dispute was continued in me Council to-day Wages £ 2/6 an hour were agreed on, to oper ate from May 17. All other provisions wil operate from the date of the overtime was fixed at time and a-half, with double time for work done among boilers, ovens, etc., am time and a-half for certain kinds m dangerous or uncomfortable work. Clauses relating to travelling time for suburban and country work were referred to the Court. “SUSTENANCE” SHIRKERS. WELLINGTON, April 29. Concern is expressed in the report of the Emergency Committee of the War Relief Association, at the number of men physically fit for any employment who are still on sustenance, and continue to apply for assistance. The report expressed the opinion it was doubtful if these men were endeavouring to obtain employment “evidently preferring to remain on sustenance and' receive what assistance they can from various organisations.”

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

AUCKLAND, April 29.

“We have a large residue of men who as the result of bad times, have never been strong, and have never done hard skilled labour. If the employers will not take these men, we, the Government, must create some work that will absorb them.” This statement was* made by Mr. Parry in receiving a deputation from the Manurewa Town Board seeking endorsement of the application to the Labour Department for a reduction, if necessary, in the number of unemployed men that had been engaged weekly in connection with the Board’s water supply scheme, in order to obtain the subsidy. The Minister assured the deputation that he would give every possible help and would discuss the matter with the Minister of Labour.