“LONG HOURS FALLACY”

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1943, Page 2

“LONG HOURS FALLACY”

BIG T.B. RISE

LONDON, May 21. A special article in “The Times” on “The Fallacy of Long Hours” draws the conclusion that late realisation of the dangers of too long hours may be responsible for the current substantial rise in tuberculosis in Britain.

The article says it is encouraging that, after a bad start, more and more attention is being paid to the close relation between absenteeism and factory workers’ health. The rapidly increasing absenteeism, which, after a few weeks, followed the increase in munition production after Dunkirk, first persuaded the authorities that workers could not stand up to a 731hour week.

Mr. Bevin, when he became Minister for Labour, said that experience had shown that 55 to 56 hours a week should be the optimum. He multiplied the number of factory medical officers by eight and appointed 3,500 nurses. He ordered factories employling more than 250 workers to main--1 tain canteens where hot meals would i be available. About 6,000 skilled welfare supervisors are employed in factories in Britain, says the article.

The Westland Hotel, • Restaurant, and Related Trades Employees’ Industrial Union of Workers, at a special meeting in Greymouth last evening, passed a formal resolution that a dispute existing between it and the Grey Hospital Board and other Hospital Boards.be referred to the Conciliation Council for settlement. The Union passed the resolution by virtue of its being a branch of the Federated Hotel. Restaurant, and Related Trades Employees’ Industrial Association of Workers, which is concerned with the Dominion hospital workers’ dispute.