38-HOUR WEEK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23023, 28 April 1938, Page 14

38-HOUR WEEK

CHEESE FACTORY WORK RESTRICTION CONDEMNED SOUTH AUCKLAND PROTEST I [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Wednesday The ftction of the Arbitration Court in fixing the hours of cheese factory workers at 38 a week for May, June and July was adversely criticised by members of the South Auckland Dairy Association to-day. Mr. W. Perry (Bruntwood) said 38 hours a week in a cheese factory was ridiculous. Cheese could not be made in the time. Some factories were putting off men, separating their milk, and sending the cream to a butter factory. Certain cheese companies were considering changing over to butter altogether as the result of the restricted hours and high costs. Jhe workers themselves recognised the position. Minister's Contention Mr. J. Bell (Sunny Park) said his company was cutting out the manufacture of cheese at the end of this month. Correspondence on the subject was received from the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, who said that in introducing proposals for the 40hour week the Government provided in the legislation that the 40-hour week should not apply to any industry in respect of which it was demonstrated to the Arbitration Court that it would be impracticable to carry on efficiently if the hours were thus limited. Mr. Nash said he understood that the leaders in the dairy industry recognised that some limitation in the hours of work was necessary in the interests of the workers. The cost allowance provided in the guaranteed price formula was fixed in. expectation that the allowance would be adequate to cover the increased wages arising from the new award. Emphatic Protest The Minister suggested that it was too soon yet for the association to say that any increased payment in wages by way of overtime and the reduction in hours would destroy the margin in the payment for cheese over butter. He further understood that very little cheese was made in May, June and July, when the 38-hour week operated. Members said it was not true that very little cheese was made _ in the months mentioned. The following resolution was carried unanimously:— "That the co-operative dairy companies in the South Auckland district manufacturing cheese emphatically protest against the added costs to the industry through the restriction of hours and the overtime payments, thus substantially reducing the differential payment between butter and cheese, and seriously jeopardising the industry and affecting the quality of the cheese." It was decided to forward the resolution as a remit to the National Dairy Conference.