FORTY-HOUR WEEK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24251, 17 April 1942, Page 2

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

HOSPITAL ORDERLIES REPLY TO CHAIRMAN "Upon my return from Wellington this morning my attention was drawn to a report of a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board, published in the Herald on April 14," said the Hon. F. G. Young, M.L.C., yesterday. "Apart from, the abusive and offensive nature of Mr. Moody's remarks directed against myself, his statements are, in fact, grossly misleading and have little relation to the true facts. "It is misleading to say that I am standing pat on the 40-hour week and untrue to say 1 am preventing the workers from working in excesu of those hours at ordinary rates when they are agreeable to do so. As secretary of the union I have asked the Hospital Board to carry out the terms and conditions of the award which was arrived at by the mutual consent of the parties concerned nearly 12 months after the war broke out. That award provides for a 40-hour week and the representative of the Auckland Hospital Board present at the Conciliation Council meeting when the award was made agreed to the 40-hour week and all other clauses contained in the award, and appended his signature thereto, and this document can be produced at any time for the information of Mr. Moody or anyone else. No Evidence of Desire "Mr. Moody says the male orderlies have been interviewed and were keen to work six days a week at ordinary rates of pay as a war effort, but a man occupying a high and responsible position in the Government is standing in the way. Presumably Mr. Moody is referring to myself. All I can say is that I have no evidence whatever of a desire on the part of the hospital workers to depart from the conditions of the award, which provides that time and a-half shall be paid if they are required to work on one of their weekly holidays or at any time in excess of the 40 hours per week. Mr. Moody as a lawyer should know that neither myself, the Auckland Hospital Board, nor any worker employed under the award, has any right to contract himself out of the conditions of that award. If individuals had that right, award's as such, could not exist. Bight to Extend Hours "Mr. Moody knows, or should know, - that the Industrial Emergency Council, comprising equal representatives _ of workers and employers, has the right to extend the hours in any industry upon the application of either the employer or the worker, backed up by evidence showing the necessity for such extension of hours. Mr. Moody, in- spite of his remarks concerning the stupidity of the 40-hour week must admit that neither himself nor the Auckland Hospital Board has so far made an application for an extension of the working hours of hospital workers. "I should also like to point out that when the hospital workers' award was made, the workers agreed that they would work on one of their weekly holidays at ordinary rates of pay in an emergenpy. This is a privilege that is not enjoyed by employers under any other award, and goes to indicate the reasonable attitude taken up by hospital workers. The only board throughout New Zealand which to my knowledge has abused this clause, is the Auckland Hospital Board, who have required men to work on their weekly holiday at ordinary rates of pay under circumstances which no one would claim was an emergency. Other hospital boards which I can quote, have paid the time and a-half provided by the award in similar circumstances. The Release of One Man "The dispute now in question arose in connection with male nurses employed at the Auckland Hospital. Recentlv hospitals were declared an essential industry. At that time five male nurses were employed at the Auckland Hospital. Under these regulations a worker may not leave his employment without the consent of the local manpower officer. When one of these men recently tendered his resignation, the board agreed to release him, although in doing so Mr. Moody must have realised the impossibility of replacing this skilled worker,' and that his action was tantamount to throwing this man's work on to the four male nurses left at the hospital. Unable to perform their duties in a 40hour five-day week, they have since been required to work six days of 48 hours and are entitled under the agreement to eight hours at time and a-half and at least one of the men concerned has demanded to be paid the overtime to which he is entitled. The men concerned will, I am sure, agree that the hospital patients must have the service regardles. of any other consideration, and the only question in dispute therefore, is whether they shall be paid for the extra hours involved the amount set out in the award or an amount considered by Mr. Moody to be an adequate remuneration."