40-HOUR WEEK REFUSED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19684, 16 July 1938, Page 7

40-HOUR WEEK REFUSED

AUSTRALIAN SHEARERS DANGERS TO INDUSTRY SYDNEY, July 7. Chief Judge Dcthridge stated in the Federal Arbitration Court yesterdaj that the Full Court would not grant the application of the Australian Workers’ Union for a 40-hour standard working week in the shearing industry. He said that the danger to the wool industry of low prices and competition from artificial wool did not appear to necessitate removing the “prosperity loading,” as asked for by the Graziers Association.

However, he added, these dangers might so adversely affect the industry that some radical alteration of wages would become necessary.

The Full Court completed the hearing of both applications, and Will deliver its judgment later. During argument yesterday, Judge Drake-Brockman asked whether the shearers would be still willing foi a 40-hour week if it meant that fewer sheep would be shorn. “They are quite prepared,” said Chief Judge Dcthridge, “to accept the 40 hours as long as they can earn as much money by working 40 hours. There is not the slightest doubt that if the hours of shearers are reduced to 40 the shearers will say, ‘Very well, our rates must go up.’ ” Mr. P. J. Sheehan (for the A.W.U.): There is a feeling that the men are willing to purchase their 40 hours at the expense of their earnings, and some of the men are willing to do so, but that is not the attitude of the A.W.U.

Mr. Sheehan said that the application for the shorter week was based on the grounds that work had become more arduous, and was set at a greater pace. An analysis of last year’s figures showed that the pastoralists had had a wonderful year. The average of that year was 16.48 d. Mr. Allen, on behalf of the Graziers’ Association, said that the court, in considering whether the “prosperity loading’’ should remain in the basic wage, would need to take into account the drought conditions which had prevailed in New South Wales and other States.