FIVE-DAY REST

Grey River Argus, 14 December 1943, Page 2

FIVE-DAY REST

HON. P. C. WEBB’S REPLY

To Employers’ Federation

P.A. WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. Tne Minister of L’aoour, Hon. p. C. Webb, said, to-aav that on Saturday a statement was made by the Secretary ,of the Employers' Federation concerning the industrial .rest period emergency regulations. That statement conveyed .a wrong impression. It also contained several mis-state-ments regarding the effect of the regulations. Mr. Webb said: “It is well known that the workers’ organisations have endeavoured for years to obtain the ■ provision of annual holidays with pay. It is estimated that 153,000 workers covered by awards and industrial agreements receive annual holidays of from five to fourteen days and in some cases three weeks. Approximately seventy-two thousand workers have no such provision, although a large proportion of the 72,000 will receive holidays voluntar- . Hv granted by their employers during tne Christmas period.’’ Mr. Webb said that a number of the employers of large concerns had told him, prior to the issue of the Regulations, that they proposed to grant such paid holidays, although thev were not bound to do so. Having regard to the relatively small number of workers who would not enjoy a paid rest at Christmas time, either compulsorily or voluntarily, the figure of £750,000 quoted by the Employers’ Federation statement as a wages increase item to the new regulations, was a gross over-statement. Mr. Webb denied the Employers' Federation claim that a breach of the Stabilisation Regulations would result. Section Three of the Emergency Regulations Act, 1939, provided full power to make such an emergency regulation as might be found > necessary for the maintaining of essential services, and generally for the safeguarding of the interests and maintaining and promoting the welfare of the community. Apart from industrial fatigue, it was welt-known to the Employers' Federation and to the employers generally that the situation this year was causing considerable unrest among the workers throughout the Dominion, both on account of the loss of paid special holidays, due to the incidence of Christmas and New Year’s Days, and also because of the prolonged strain due to the war effort. Since the Regulations were issued he had received messages from employers welcoming this definite breaK, which brought all of the workers i n t° line. Moreover, before making the announcement, he had personally at; tended a conference of workers’ ana employers’ organisations, and had fully stated the Government’s intentions before the Regulations were either signed, or announced.