LABOUR SURVEY

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 February 1947, Page 2

LABOUR SURVEY

WEST COAST EMPLOYMENT GENERALLY STABLE NO EXCESSIVE CHANGES “Excessive labour turnover is not a serious problem in this district,” stated the District Employment Officer, Mr. J. C. Corbishley, to-day, releasing figures illustrating the extent of movement among workers in various local industries. “As high labour turnover involves inefficient production with loss of man-hours, production and wages, increased frictional unemployment, a falling-off in standards of training, and a generally unstable position for workers and employers,” added Mr. Corbishley, “it is a matter of considerable importance to any units affected.” Approximately 60 per cent, of the 27 units comprising the food, drink and tobacco industrial group had a stable labour force with no staff changes in the six months prior to the last half-yearly return of employment information obtained by the Employment Service, reported Mr. Corbishley. The remaining units generally had small turnover rates, but one or two units ranged as high as’7s per cent, of turnover. Manufacturers' Position. The typical turnover rate in the 73 units comprising the manufacturing group employing male labour, was 9 per cent., this rate being general for about 57 units. Of the remaining factories, however, much larger numbers of workers left or were replaced, some businesses having a 100 per cent, change of staff. Of’the 36 units in the manufacturing group employing women, 25 had a static labour force, and among . the remainder 66 per cent, was the highest rute* In the distribution and finance group, which includes wholesale and retail trade, shops, offices, and hotels, there are 241 units employing men. Whilst four-fifths of this number had a static labour force, one or two businesses had fairly frequent staff changes. The female labour employed by 193 units was static .in about 140 cases, and the remaining 30 per cent, had only small labour turnovers.

Miners Steady. Men employed in coal and goldmining and sawmilling did not change jobs frequently, though this group employed the largest amount of labour in the district. Up to 60 of the 94 units involved had a staff turnover of less than 3 per cent. There were no changes of workers in some mines and mills, while some of the smaller units had big changes, involving’the entire staff. The availability of the actual prevailing labour turnover rates would enable employers concerned to check their position, Mr. Corbishley adued.