PUBLIC WORKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22357, 2 March 1936, Page 10

PUBLIC WORKS

WON AGREEMENT

FORTY-HOUR WEEK GRANTED UNIFORM RATES OF PAY [BY TELEGRAPH —PRKSB ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON, Saturday Details of the agreement reached between the New Zealand Workers' Union and the Public Works Department were announced by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, to-day. Mr. Semple stated that the basic wage question was still undetermined, but employees of the Public Department had been granted a 40-hour week, as against the 47 hours worked previously. It had also been agreed that there should be no differentiation between married and single men or Maori workers, all of whom would be on the same rate of pay. Preference had been given to members of the New Zealand Workers' Union, and provision had been made for the payment of expenses of men going to jobs and for the transference of workers from one job to another. An agreement had been reached whereby any dispute arising would be dealt with first by the district engineer, secondly by the engineer-in-chief, of the Public Works Department, and finally bv the Minister. The workers agreed that, pending the settlement of a dispute, they would remain on the jobs. Another feature was fortnightly payments, instead of monthly. The question of accommodation was being considered The agreement is the result of a conference in Wellington during the past two days.