WAR FACTORIES

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1942, Page 2

WAR FACTORIES

BRITISH POSITION.

RUGBY, -July 22

If the war lasted a number ot years, production would have to be carried oqt by women and the older generation, said Air. Bevm in the Commons’ debate on the woj?k of the factory department of the Ministry of Labour.

Stressing .the importance of the Government assuming greater responsibility for the welfare of workers inside and outside factories, Mr. Bevin said that when Coventry was raided, it was calculated it would take several weeks to get the show going again. About 80,000 people were working in the distict, but notwithstanding the destuction, it only took 14 days for 77,000 men to be back at work. When the Liverpool docks were blitzed, every shift was working in about three days after the attack ceased. The accident rate in factories had increased, said Mr. Bevin, largely, due to the recruitment of inexperienced workers, long hours, and the great amount of work put on overseers formen and supervisory staffs. Canteens had been or were being, provided at 96 per cent, of the factories. They had do do things about hours of labour which were extremely distasteful. In the cotton industry hours had been extended to 62, and it had been necessary to take lads into the industry from 141 upwards. During the debate, anxiety was expressed lest too long hours were worked by women and youths.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Tomlinson) said they had been unable to find evidence of any detrimental physical effect to workers arising from the black-out conditiohs. It was intended to introduce sunlight .into factories, to avoid the permanent black-out. The hours of young people in the cotton industry would be reduced.