INSURANCE WORKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22805, 12 August 1937, Page 13

INSURANCE WORKERS

CHRISTCHURCH COMPLAINT NATIONAL WEEK PRIVILEGES [bt TELEGRAPH —OWN" correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday For the first time for many years the insurance offices in Christclnirch remained open yesterday, the day of the Grand National Steeplechase, and, although no complaint has yet been made to the Labour Department, members of the Insurance Workers' Union arc talking of the possibility of a"test case being taken. They allege that the failure of the employers to close the offices was a breach of the award recently made for the workers. About 2.30 employees in the city were affected. The provision in the award to which the workers refer provides that "privileges and conditions" existing before the award came into force should not be discontinued, and the workers class National Week holidays under that heading. Some years ago insurance offices in the city wore open for only two or three half-days in the week, and about three years ago the holidays were reduced to the Tuesday and a lialf-dny on the Thursday. The decision to abolish the holidays completely this year was made by the Canterbury Fire and Accident Underwriters' Association. and Mr. .T. A. Davis, chairman of the association, declared that the decision was in no way connected with the hours clause of the award. The granting of holidays in this week each year was decided annually, he said, and consequently could not be classed as an established privilege. In the meantime the employees are still wondering whether they should ask the Labour .Department to take a tost case. They fear that on this precedent they will lose their holidays in Carnival Week in November.