SUNDAY WORK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22424, 21 May 1936, Page 12

SUNDAY WORK

OVERTIME LIABILITY i GENERAL APPLICATION MINISTER'S DECLARATION COURT DISCRETION HINTED [by TEtEGIfcATH —SPECIAL REPORTEkJ ■ WELLINGTON, ' Wednesday The-statement that the provisions of tho Factories' Amendment Bill with regard to the 'payment of overtime to workers engaged on Sundays or statutory holidays applied to all workers irrespective of whether or not their employment necessarily entailed work on those days was mndo by tho Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, in an interview to-night. The Minister added that in certain industries the Arbitration Court might see fit to mako adjustments when considering demands for new awards. It- was pointed out to tho Minister that there was some difference of opinion in the matter. In tho case of workers who wero employed under conditions that normally did not require them to wcrk on Sundays or holidays, Work on such days was overtime for which payment was made iu addition to weekly wages. Normal Day of Work However, there were workers in n number of other industries who normally worked on Sundays or holidays, but received equivalent holidays on other days or some othor form of compensation. Mr. Armstrong was asked whether the Government intended that tho payment to the second class of workers should bo the weekly wages prescribed in tho awards, that no extra payment would bo required merely because they worked on Sundays or holidays, and that the new Act would'permit the substitution of other holidays f?r Sundays, holidays and half-holiday i. All Xiale Adult Workers "The provision under the bill is that all workers must bo. paid the .extra rates if they are employed on Sundays or holidays," Mr. Armstrong said. "Women and boys are definitely prohibited from being employed on Sundays or statutory holidays, but in the case of all male adult workers the overtime rates will apply. Of course, in certain industries the Arbitration Court may see fit to make adjustments when it is t considering demands for new awards." Tho final sentence in the above statement by the Minister of Labour "Tho Arbitration Court may see fit to mako adjustments when it is considering demands/for new awards" is surprising, since the words of the bill, as quoted above, are understood to remove the question of overtime payuient for work on Sundays and holidays from the jurisdiction of the Court and to mako the rates provided in the bill unalterable, Indeed, when tho bill was first introduced the essential clause quoted above had $ preamble as follows: "Subject to the provisions of any award or industrial agreement for the time being in fqree under the Industrial Concilia- * tion arid Arbitration Act, 1925. -5 ' This preamble has been deleted and an amendment inserted providing that all awards governing work in factories are to be read subject to the provisions of the new Act. The bill is already through the House of Bepresentatives, but ha 3 yet to be dealt with by the Legislative Council. If the Government intends to give the Court discretion to exempt from the general overtime liability those industries which must operate on Sundays and holidays to give the public essential supplies or services, a further amendment will undoubtedly be re- - quired.