40-HOUR WEEK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19136, 3 October 1936, Page 16

40-HOUR WEEK

RESULTS IN INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT NOT INCREASED PRODUCTION QUICKENED In the opinion of several large cmployers of iuctory lubour in •Auckloiicl the 40,-hour week is not resulting in an increase in the number of operatives; rather is the speed of factory production being accelerated, so that in some instances an actual increase in the manufacture of goods has been obtained.

“Employers generally are concentrating more on obtaining speed in manufacture than ever they were before, aiid a clothing manufacturer. “While results may vary, I think it.can.be said that as far as' factories are concerned the primary idea behind the institution af the 40-hour week, the employment of extra labour, will not. be realised. In ,ny own factory, several departments lave achieved an increase in production, without additions to the staff, and within three or four months when our organisation has been perfected to.meet the dew conditions, I anticipate •• increased production in every department.” RESULTS IN ' OTHER FACTORIES

In the case of another large concern manufacturing an article - of clothing, there has been no diminishment in production as a result of the 40-hour week. Representatives of other concerns said that while production had dropped a trifle at the start, it was building up aeain and was now practically at the old level.

It was pointed out that where operatives were merely tending! automatic machines production was suffering because of the drop in working hours, but where the human factor was dominant, more efficient methods were being employed as an offset. In the clothing trade, the great trouble was the shortage of skilled machinists, with the result that employers were inclined to hid one against the other to obtain labour. While the tendency generally in factories seemed to be tliat the rate ol production bad either increased or had suffered but slightly, exceptions were reported where the results had not been so fortunate. It was reported that in an instance or two travellers had been withdrawn because with the shorter working! hours the concerns could not. keep up with orders. One clothing factory anticipated that the Christmas demand would not be met from New Zealand manufactures in its particular class of trade because of the effect of shorter working hours and it expected an increase in overseas manufactures gs a result. A LABOUR- DIFFICULTY It was disclosed that several employers had experienced trouble in employing labour because the persons concerned when being engaged bad failed to reveal the fact that they had had previous factory experience. Such factory experience, in the instances given, had been in another type of work, but when the employee had obtained some degree ol skill in the industry, he or she had disclosed the fact of previous experience and had claimed higher wages in consequence. “The provisions in the legislation which make any form of factory employment count in the assessment of wages is most unfair,” said one man. “It is not only unfair to the employer, but to many employees. A girl, because she may have had experience in a factory outside my industry, may be earning higher wages than the girl working next to her who may be a much more skilful and speedier worker. The state of affairs that has developed simply cries for a remedy.”