NEW AWARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1938, Page 4

NEW AWARD

POSITION EXPLAINED. [PEB PBEBB ASSOCIATION.] , WELLINGTON, February 10. The Department of Labour states that its attention has been drawn to tho newspaper report of a Trades Hall meeting to discuss the Wool, Crain, Hide, and Manure Stores Employees’ Award, which was recently made by the Arbitration Court. The department says that there ap pears to be some' misunderstanding cm the part of the workers covered by this award about tho effect of the Government’s 1936 legislation. r lo clarfy the position, the department explains that the Shops and Offices Act and the Factories Act do not apply to workers covered by this award, and that one must refer to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1936, to determine whether the Government’s legislation has been contravened. ■‘Section 21 of this Act provides that where by Court order the maximum number of hours to bo worked in any week (as fixed by the award or agreement, in force at the passing of the Amendment Act) is reduced, any rates of pay fixed in the award or agreement, shall, if necessary, be increased either directly by the Court or indirectly by the operation of the order so that the ordinary rate of weekly wages of any worker bound by the award or agreement shall not be reduced by reason of the reduction made in the number of his working hours,” says the department. “It should be noted that this provision applies only to awards and agreements in force on the passing of the amendment. Act.

Since the. passing of the legislation two awards have been made in this industry, 'rhe first, which was dated May 3. 1937. fixed a 'H-hour week, which had been agreed upon by the parties in Conciliation Council, and in respect, of such awards there' is nothing in the legislation to prevent the Court from reducing wages, if. having regard to all circumstances, it thinks it equitable to do so. “In the award recently made the principle of the 40-hour five-day week has in effect, been conceded to the workers, and although the four hours on Saturday tire at ordinary rates, they may. when a new award is being sought, ask in Conciliation Council or before the Court for this rate to be increased to the ordinary overtime raie.”