PAID HOLIDAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23009, 9 April 1938, Page 15

PAID HOLIDAYS

BRITISH WORKERS /. UNANIMOUS REPORT COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY 12,000,000 AFFECTED By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received April 8, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, April 7 A unanimous recommendation in favour of holidays with pay for all British workers, including domestic servants, is made by the joint committee which was set up by the Government in March, 1937 to examine the question of paid holidays. The committee, comprised representatives of both the workers' and the employers' interests, including the Trades Union Congress, the Engineering and Allied Employees' Federation, the Port of London Authority, the Master Cotton Spinners' Association and the Mining Association, was presided over

by Lord Amulree, who has been chairman of a great number of industrial committees and commissions of inquiry. The Minister of Labour, Mr. Ernest Brown, referred to the committee's report in a debate in the House of Commons last night. If adopted, the proposals will affect 12,000,000 British people. The period of holiday proposed is at least one week, but a fortnight is suggested in the case of domestic servants. Lest holidays should take place all at the same time, the committee proposes special holiday periods.

The Trades Union Congress submitted to the committee on June 8 last a memorandum which stated that out of a total employed population of about 18,000,000 there could not be more than 4,000.000 who had holidays with pay; not more than 2,000,000 of whom could be described as manual workers. Further, hardly any of these 2.000,000 received a paid holiday of more than a week, and many not even that. The memorandum proposed that all employed persons should be guaranteed by law after 12 months' service an annual holiday with pay of at least 12 working days.

The Labour Party brought forward in November last the Annual Holiday Bill, which provided for an annual holiday of two weeks with pay, but this was rejected in the House of Commons by only one vote —134 votes to 133. An amendment that the report of the committee should first be awaited was carried bv 130 votes to 122.