ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES

Grey River Argus, 20 June 1942, Page 2

ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIES

GUARANTEE TO TRANSFERRED WORKERS. [Per Press Association.; WELLINGTON, June 19. An important clause in new regulations deals with the transfer of workers from one occupation to another in the same undertaking. In the regulations it was provided that any worker who was put on to other work when his normal work was not available to him, would receive his normal wage or the wage appropriate to the new work to which he was transferred, whichever was the higher. This provision is omitted from the new regulations. The position now its that a worker transferred to other work when his normal work is not available shall (unless otherwise prescribed by the Minister of Labour), be governed by the wages and conditions of the award or industrial agreement applicable- to the work to which he is transferred.

The reason for the change is that the new regulations provide for a weekly guarantee to be fixed by the Minister of Labour and such a guarantee would cover the point adequately. In the absence of a guarantee, the worker is now entitled only to the wage appropriate to the work upon which he- is for the time being employed An employer can, however, only transfer a worker on these conditions if his normal work is not available. Tho* regulations do not recognise a transfer on other occasions so that, if a worker is transferred to other work while his normal work is still available, (i.e., to meet the convenience of the employer), he is clearly entitled to not less than his normal wage. Some firms engaged in the production of -non-essentials have already trained substitutes to replace men who have been called up for military service. These trained men and women will not be called to work of national importance,so long as alternative labour can be obtained from the reservoir which has been formed by registration from the man-power available from industries and undertakings declared unessential. Approximately 112,000 workers have been registered for work of national. importance, thus giving a considerable pool of persons available for, and awaiting direction into, essential industries. This number includes 22.000 women. As previously mentioned, it is an offence under the Employment Restriction Order No. 1 for an employer to enlist or to compete for labour if the industry for which the labour is required has been listed in the Order as non-essen tial. It will be seen, therefore, that essential industries will always have the first call from the pool of 112,000 workers.