LONGER HOURS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20625, 5 August 1941, Page 6

LONGER HOURS

MEETING WAR NEEDS A SIX DAY WEEK In support of arguments presented at discussions of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on the question ol the 40-hour week and the war effort in which he had advocated ah extension of hours of work in New Zealand to meet war production needs, a statement has been issued by Mr. M. G. C. McCaul giving suggestions as to how a universal' 48-hour week for the period of the war could bo operated. Mr. McCaul contends that the present practice whereby the onus is placed oh 1 industry to prove .o the-In-dustrial Emergency Council the necessity for increased working hours should be reversed. The following suggestions arc made by Mr. McCaul: — “That a six-day 48-hour week be instituted under the war regulations with the proviso that hours worked in excess of 40 a week up to 4!i be paid for at ordinary rates. “That the Industrial Emergency Council be retained to consider applications from employers or employees for modification of the working noun, in any form of employment .'or £.ny reason, and in particular for the reason that employment cannot be found for the stafF over the longer week. "That where practicable labour be transferred from industries oversupplied to industries that are short of labour. , “That workers transferred from tne employer to another under this plan have the same right of reinstatement with their old employers as m the case of soldiers. “That employers who relinquish workers to another industry under this plan have the right to apply for their return if subsequently required and the public interest permits.”