EXTENSION OF HOURS

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 November 1940, Page 2

EXTENSION OF HOURS

IN WEST COAST SAWMILLS In order to increase the production /of timber for use in the manufacture ! of butter-boxes, a regulation has been gazetted by the Government, to take effect as from to-day, providing I for the working of a 48 hours week in West Coast sawmills, and in some of the North Island mills. During the ! currency of the regulation, the extra eight hours worked each week are to be paid for at the rate of time and ahalf. Of the overtime paid, the Government is to refund 75 P er cent, to we sawmillers. Mr. F. L. Turley (secretary of the Westland Timber. Workers’ Union) '.said that the award provided that overtime for the first four hours [should be paid for at the rate of time and. a-half, arid' after that,, double time. The provision had therefore been suspended so far as the second fpur-hours period was concerned. Assuming that the mills in the North Islarid were included, the Goverririient would be subsidising approximately 1200 men. Mr. Turley said that many of the men on the West Coast did not like to work a full day on Saturday, and be believed that, if the new regulation was to act smoothly, the mat-; ter of arranging for the working of the extra hours should be left to the branches of the union. The application for the extension of hours was in the first place made by the employers. Mr. J. W. Callwell (secretary of the West Coast Sawmillers’ Association) said, to-day, that he was unable to comment further upon the subject, except to say that the sawmillers will carry out the request of the Government, to the best of their ability.