FORTY-HOUR WEEK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19137, 5 October 1936, Page 11

FORTY-HOUR WEEK

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE DEPARTMENT'S ATTITUDE (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. The Railway Department's attitude to the 40-hour week for the first division men was explained by the general manager.. Mr. G. H. Mackley, speaking at tne annual reunion of the. Auckland branch of the. Railway Officers' Institute. Mr. Mackley referred to the advantage of continuous employment the railwaymen enjoyed and quoted figures to show the progress in wages since 1911. .-The introducing* of the 40-hour week was a bic; task and would cost £269.000 this year, in addition to £197.000 for wage restoration. It had never been understood that the 40-hour week was to be introduced in the first year. Although the first division had not got it 100 per cent, thev were getting! it as quickly as possible. 'Of 3GOO first division men. 1800 were now enjoying the 40-hour week or less. The second division men were in a different position, he said, as they were paid at an hourly rate. They were not being paid overtime as such for hours worked over 40. The first division men enjoyed double annual leave, sick pay, and other privileges as. compared with the second division. The institute's representatives had' been asked to come back in six months. He asked them to be patient. and he was sure that they were losing nothing in the meantime. The regrading that had been awaited for some time was being gone into immediately. Regarding goodwill promotions, while he. could make no promises, he would see if something could not he done in this year's classification to help out some of those at the top of grade seven. Speaking of the results of the year s working to date, he said that more than half of the estimated revenue, increase had been obtained in 24 weeks and there was every reason to expect, that the department's budgeted interest payment would be more than reached.