FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26851, 16 August 1948, Page 4

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

NOT BEING WORKED

ONLY ABOUT 35 HOURS Forty hours were not being worked by most employees in many manufacturing businesses today. In the majority of cases they worked 35 hours at most. This opinion was expressed to the Daily Times yesterday by a city manufacturer when invited to comment on the article in the Kiwi. In explanation of his contention, the manufacturer said that the working week was divided into five eight-hour days. Most of the employees did not arrive at the factory until 8 a.m. They clocked in at 8, hung up their hats and coats, had a chat, and did not actually start work until about 8.15 a.m.

The meal hour was normally from noon to 1 p.m. At 11.45, the manufacturer said, most employees left their jobs fo wash their hands, get their hats and coats, and were off the premises promptly at noon if they went home for lunch, and did not patronise a cafeteria at the works if one were available.

Instead of being at their jobs aghin at 1 p.m., they repeated the performance of the morning, and did not begin working until about 1.15. Then, at night, they prepared to leave the works at 4.45 p.m., and were out the door, dressed for home, promptly at 5 p.m. “ This means that in eight hours’ ‘ working time ’ these employees have actually been working for only seven hours. One hour lost on each of the five working days of the week means a loss of five hours. If this is not a 35-hour week, I do not know what is.” the manufacturer concluded.

He added that before the advent of the 40-hour week and the scarcity of labour, workers were at their machines for a full eight-hour day. Together with the tardy start and the early finish, the fact that, most* awards provided for a “ smoko ” of 10 minutes in each morning and afternoon had the effect of bringing working hours down probably to less than 35 a week. Women were worse than men in this respect.