NO HOURS INCREASE

Grey River Argus, 2 May 1942, Page 3

NO HOURS INCREASE

TRAMWAYMEN'S DECISION. P.A. WELLINGTON, April 28. In conveying to Mr J. Sayegh, chairman of the Public Passenger Transport Association of New Zealand, the decision of the national executive' of Tramwaymens Union rejecting the suggestion of a six-day week, the payment for the sixth day to be at ordinary rates, the national secretary (Mr P. A. Hansen) says that the national executive considers the offer, when viewed In Its correct perspective, merely a repetition of the request the association unavailingly made at the conference presided over by the Minister for 'Public 1 Works on January 20, and later to the National Emergency Council. That request, in effect, meant that the normal weekly hours should be increased from 40 to 48. He states that in rejecting the request the unanimous opinion was expressed that the employment of women, if such an act meant the retention of the 40-'hour week, should be encouraged rather than deterred. He was specifically instructed to inform the association: “We confidently expect our awards and industrial agreements will. be. adhered to in their entirety. Our opinion on this aspect of the question is that the said awards and agreements set out the rates of pay and. conditions of employment for conductors, but oo not provide that such conductors shall necessarily be males, and, accordingly, any departure from the rates of pay laid down, or the conditions of employment prescribed, simply because the conductor is a female, will, be considered to be a breach of the award, and appropriate action will be taken.” P.A. DUNEDIN, April 29. According to Mr W. <B. Richards, vice-president of the National, Union of Tramwaymen Executive, commenting on the rejection of the offer by the authorities of the six-day week ordinary pay to obviate the necessity of employing women, this offer merely repeated the request already refused by the Industrial Emergency Council for a 48-hour week. The union was being asked voluntarily to agree to a provision that would not only contravene the agreement between the parties, but would go much further than the award modification considered necessary by the Council.

TRAINING OF YARDMEN. P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, April 28. A statement that it would' take nine months to train a timber yardman, was doubted by Mr A. H. McKane, ,a member of the Armed Forces Board, at a sitting of r the Board to-day. The appellant, William Thompson, said that he had been in the business for 35 years and he contended that a. man could not absorb the necessary knowledge in nine months, nor in three years. Mr E. A. Lee presided and with him were Messrs G. M. Halil and A. H. McKane. Dr. A. L. Halsam represented the Crown. The appeal was by Hardie and Thompson for Ernest Albert Beaumont, yardman. To Dr. Halsam, Thompson sajd that he had had a three months’ postponement already. He had been in touch with his Association in. an effort to get another yardman, but he had been unsuccessful. _ He had not advertised for a man. He wanted another six months so that he could get a man. He. had not the material in his employ from which to train a substitute. In answer to further questions, Thompson said that some of his employees had been, with him 20 and 30 years. Mr Hall said that he had been a yardman, himself as well as holding other positions in the building trade, and he did not agree- that if would take as long as the witness stated io train a man. The appeal, was dismissed, subject to the reservist not being called up before- August 1,